JEREMIAH 102009 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: Jeremiah 10

You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2009. God has prepared for us in Jeremiah chapter 10. From the very beginning, he knew we would be in Jeremiah chapter 10 on April 15, 2009. And he said, this is a message just for these people.

And so I want to encourage you to hear the word of the Lord. This is something that God desires to speak to us. And what is that? Well, it starts out saying, do not learn the way of the Gentiles. Man, we could do, you know, probably a 15-week series on just this portion. Do not learn the way of the Gentiles.

Gentiles would be a reference to unbelievers. He's saying to the Jewish people, don't learn the way of those who don't follow God. Don't follow their pattern. Don't follow their example. Don't live your life like them.

Paul the Apostle told us to not be conformed to this world. Or, it would be better translated, stop being conformed to this world. There's a need for us to stop being like this world. To not learn the way of the world around us. To not live our lives in the same way that the world around us lives. God calls us to conform.

To be different. He calls us to be a peculiar people. In 1 Corinthians chapter 7, he tells us to come apart and be separate. We're to be separate from the world. There's to be a difference. We're not to learn the way of the Gentiles. Our life is not supposed to be like every other normal person's life. Our life is to be radically different, just as the life of Jesus Christ was radically different before.

than the rest of the world in his day. He stood out. People followed him. And you say, well, he was the son of God, and of course people followed him. He was the Messiah. But we call ourselves Christians, and that means Christ-like. We are to be like Christ. We are to be set apart in the same way that Christ was. Our character and our nature is to be a reflection of Jesus Christ.

He says,

participate in activities just like the world around us. We watch the things that the world around us watches. We listen to the things that the world around us listens to. There's a great persuasion that's going on of trying to sway us

to compromise. And sometimes, many times, I think it's even beyond the compromise because we're so sucked into it, we don't even realize it's a compromise anymore.

We need to take a step back. And I would challenge you this evening to do that. To take a step back and to consider your life. To consider not just your life in general of whether or not you're going to go to church, but consider your daily activities. Take some time to think throughout the day. Am I learning the way of the Gentiles? These things that I am doing,

Are they different than the rest of the world? Or is this just what anybody else in my shoes would do whether or not they knew the Lord? You see, we're to have a passion for the Lord. We're to put Him first. We're to have His nature, His character. We're to base our decisions upon the Word of God. And as we've seen, as we've studied throughout the Word of God, the ways of the Lord are not the same as the ways of the world.

Remember God said in Isaiah 55, as high as the heavens are above the earth, that's how high his ways are above our ways. And so our lives should have some dramatic differences. There should be a separation. God says, do not learn the way of the Gentiles. Stop being conformed to this world. Stop trying so hard to fit in. Stop working so hard to be like everybody else.

Instead, work hard. Glory in this, that you know the Lord. Glory in this, that you know the Lord, that you walk with Him and that you are obedient to Him.

Well, God gives them a specific example of how they're not to learn the way of the Gentiles there at the end of verse 2. He says, Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the Gentiles are dismayed at them. The Gentiles would look at the heavens. They would look at the stars. They would look at the lineup of the stars and astrology. And they would look at these things. And then they'd get freaked out and think, you know, the world is going to end. And they would have these fearful thoughts about...

about life, about things in general, because of the stars, the things in the heavens. And God says, look, don't be dismayed at the signs of heaven. In the same way, you and I, we are not to be dismayed, we are not to be afraid, freaked out about the same things that the world gets freaked out about. We don't need to be. They would worship the stars. They would worship many other things, as we'll see in the rest of this chapter.

And for them, it was normal. But God says, not for you. Don't follow that same pattern. Don't be afraid of what they're afraid of. You don't have to be freaked out about those things that they're freaked out about. Because they're worshiping false gods. And as we'll see, it's completely worthless. They're dismayed over nothing. God says, don't be like the Gentiles.

Don't be freaked out. Don't be stressed out. Don't be dismayed over the things that they are dismayed over. But also as we look at this subject here, the signs of heavens, it's a good opportunity to point out as they would look in essence in today's terms, they'd be looking at their horoscope.

And then they would say, something bad is going to happen today. And so then they'd be dismayed all day. Oh, man, something's bad. Oh, this is aligned with that. And it's the year of the whatever, the raccoon or whatever. And the moon's in this position. And so today I got to be really careful. And I can't wear this color and I can't walk under that ladder. And all of the superstitions and they had all these, they were all freaked out and dismayed. And God says, you are not to be that way.

And he'll go on to explain to them the reason why is because the gods that they worship, the gods that they serve are nothing, they're worthless, and you serve the true and living God who is the almighty God, the creator of the universe. So you're not to be freaked out about those things. You don't need to be freaked out about those things. God is with you. Don't pay attention to it.

The signs of the heavens, the horoscopes and those types of things. In fact, in Deuteronomy chapter 18, this is something that's prevalent in our culture and it seems to be more and more popular these days. The idea of the signs of the heavens and these spiritual realms and going to sorcerers or medians or spiritists and seeking out these types of things.

And Deuteronomy chapter 18 gives a very strong warning. God says, "...there shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire."

That is an ancient worship practice or one who practices witchcraft or a soothsayer or one who interprets omens or a sorcerer or one who conjures spells or a medium or a spiritist or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations, the Lord your God drives them out from before you.

God says, look, the reason why I'm driving these people out from before you is because they're involved in this witchcraft and soothsaying and looking at omens and going to mediums and spiritists and all of these things are an abomination to the Lord. They're going out and they're trying to talk to their dead uncle or aunt or they're trying to solve crimes by this dead person that was there. And they're practicing all these things and God says, that's why I'm driving them out.

Because they're involved in all of these things that are an abomination to me. So they're being driven out before you, God told his people as they were going into the land. And so it's a reminder to us, don't be dismayed, but also don't be excited about, don't approve of the practicing of these things. These are an abomination to the Lord.

So God says, don't learn the way of the Gentiles. Don't be dismayed at the signs of the heavens. Why? Well, he goes on in verse 3 through 5. He says, for the customs of the peoples are futile. They're empty. They're worthless, he says. For one cuts a tree from the forest. The work of the hands of the workmen with an axe...

They decorate it with silver and gold. They fasten it with nails and hammers so that it will not topple. They are upright like a palm tree and they cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot go by themselves. Do not be afraid of them for they cannot do evil nor can they do any good. God says, here's why you should not be dismayed. Here's why you should not follow the way of the unbeliever.

Because what they do is empty and worthless. And what is it that they do? Well, in that day, God describes the practice that they were doing. They would take a tree, they would cut it down. Now, some try to make this out to be Christmas trees. That's not at all what Jeremiah is talking about here. But they're talking about the carving out of an idol from a tree. They chopped down a tree.

They carve out the idol from the tree. They put gold and silver upon it. They dress it up. They decorate it to make it this beautiful god that they would be able to worship. They set it up, but it can't stand on its own. You know, they've got to fasten it. They've got to make sure so it doesn't fall over. How many of you want a god that you have to fasten to the wall so that it doesn't fall over?

You know, maybe some of you, you have the TV, you know, and you got that strap, you fasten it to the wall, and if that's your God, hey, you're in trouble if that's your God. Who wants a God that has to be fastened to the wall, has to be nailed down so that it doesn't topple? God says, look, it can't speak. You know, if it needs to go anywhere, it can't go by itself. You got to pick it up and carry it. Who wants a God that you have to, oh man, I left my God at home. Man, just when I needed Him too.

He says, look, the ways of the Gentiles, the customs of the peoples, they're empty. They're worthless.

We are so backwards sometimes where we long so much to be like the world. And we try so hard to be like the world and to have the things that the world says is important. And we've been convinced by the world that we got to have these things and have this lifestyle and have these luxuries and be this way and be in this place in our lives by this time. And we're so brainwashed.

But in reality, God says, look, the things, the customs of these people, they're futile, they're worthless, they're empty, they're empty. So he says, do not be afraid of them. Now here's the thing. The nation of Judah was worshiping these same gods. The nation of Judah had the King of Kings and Lord of Lords right there in their midst. But they were worshiping these other gods. They would go to the temple, but then they would go home and they would have these gods set up.

They would go and hang out and have parties together and they would have these gods that they were worshipping. And God says, do not be afraid of them. That's don't fear them, don't revere them. Don't pay any attention to them at all because they can't do any evil nor can they do any good. They can't do anything. They're worthless. They're empty. God says, don't be afraid of these other gods. It's possible, probable. They even began to worship these gods.

Because they were afraid of them. You see, they were in the nation of Judah. There's battles going on around them. There's nations that seem to be very powerful. And so they would consider, well, this nation worships that God. And since I'm fearful that they're going to conquer me, I'm fearful that their God is powerful. Well, I'm going to start to worship their God.

To protect myself so that now we both worship the same God. So, you know, which side is He going to choose? So I'm going to worship that God so He can protect me and so that it won't be, you know, my God against His. When in reality, that's really what you want. If your God is the true and living God. Because there's no one like Him. There's no one like our God. The world around us, although here in the United States we might not see people bowing down to statues and things like that.

the world around us is completely, totally enveloped with the worship of false gods. And out of fear, sometimes we fall prey to worshiping their gods. Whatever fear you want to label it, the fear of not fitting in, the fear of falling behind, the fear of the economy, the fear of what may happen.

We have all of these expectations that the world puts upon us based upon the things that they worship. They say, look, you got to have this insurance and this much and it has to be in this way because, you know, if something happens, then you got to make sure. I'm not saying insurance is bad, but it's based upon they worship this.

They worship money. They worship themselves. They worship all these things. And so it's based upon, they say you got to have it this way and you got to have this. You got to have this set up. And what are you going to do? Where's your 401k? And how are you going to retire? And why? Well, because they worship something completely different. Not that any of those things are wrong or that God would not have us be involved in those things. But the way that we approach them needs to be out of obedience to the Lord. Not out of fear the way that the unbelievers do.

We're not to learn the way of the unbelievers. We're to walk with God. And again, I challenge all of us to examine our hearts, to examine our days, and seek the Lord. Are we learning the ways of the Gentiles? Are we walking in their ways because that's what they've convinced us we're supposed to do? Because that's how we were raised. Because that's what everyone does. Because that's what the Joneses are doing.

There's a great danger. Don't learn the ways of the Gentiles because their customs are futile. And then there's an economic crisis and they freak out. They're dismayed. They're like, what in the world? And how are we going to survive? And it's going to be the worst thing. And they've got all these doomsday predictions. But if you glory not in wisdom, if you glory not in riches, if you glory not in might, then when all those things are taken over, then you can still glory. When those things are taken away, you can still glory.

If you glory in that you know the Lord. See, He's supposed to be most important. He's to be our priority. And we need to keep Him there. Don't learn the ways of the unbeliever. Don't learn the ways of the Gentile. Verse 6. Inasmuch as there is none like you, O Lord, you are great and your name is great in might.

Verse 2.

God says, don't learn their ways. Don't follow their customs. Don't follow the pattern that they've shown you because it's worthless. And Jeremiah says, look, Lord, there is none like you. There is no one like our God. There is no one that compares. There is no one that comes close. There is no God like our God. Certainly not idols that are made of wood. Certainly not idols that are made of plastic or metal or any other material.

There is no one like our God. Jeremiah says, Who would not fear you, O king of the nations? Who is not going to fear God? Who in their right mind would say, I'm not going to pay attention to the creator of the universe, to the king of the nations? They were fearful of these other gods, gods that were nothing, that were made out of wood, that were put together by craftsmen.

And Jeremiah says, who would not fear you, O king of the nations? You see, they've gone astray. Their hearts are misaligned. They're afraid of these other man-made gods and they're not fearing the Lord God Almighty. You see, that's the danger. If we learn the ways of the Gentiles, well, there's a problem. If we learn the ways of the world, if we follow the example of the unbeliever, there's a problem because you cannot serve two masters, Jesus said.

You're going to serve one or the other. The nation of Judah was trying to do both. They were still going to the temple and then they would go and worship these other gods. And you can't do both. You can't live life half-heartedly devoted to God.

You need to be sold out. 100%. It needs to be an all-consuming thing of our lives that we are completely consumed by Him. Because if we begin to fear these other gods and follow their examples in these ways, we're taking what is rightfully God's. He says, Who would not fear you, O King of the nations? For this is your rightful due. It's right that we fear God.

It's right that He be our passion and our priority because there is no one like Him. The idols, the other things that we can worship are dull-hearted. They can't respond. They can't hear. They're foolish. He says a wooden idol is a worthless doctrine. It's worthless. There is no value to it. You see, if we're learning the ways of the Gentiles, everything in this life is considered more valuable than it really is. As I often bring up, the Apostle Paul said, look, the things that we can see

The things that we can touch, those things, they're not eternal. They're not going to last. What is this world value? What does this world look at? What does this world consider valuable? Of course, the things that are visible, the things that can be seen, the things that can be touched. That's the ways of the world. That's the customs of the Gentiles. But the things that are eternal, the things that are truly valuable, those things are, well, they're not seen. They're eternal. And those are the things that need to be our priority.

A wooden idol is a worthless doctrine. It's worthless. Worthless. Jesus said, Do you think it's worthwhile? Of course I'm paraphrasing. But do you think it's worthwhile to gain the whole world and lose your own soul? So you worship this wooden idol. You gain the whole world. But you spend eternity in hell. Is that a good exchange? Is that worth it? No. Not even close. The wooden idol is a worthless doctrine. Verse 9.

Jeremiah now begins...

A competition. A contrast. For the next few verses. He'll be comparing the true and living God to these worthless idols.

And so first we start out saying, look, silver is beaten into plates. They work really hard. They pull out the silver. They mine it. They beat it into plates. Then they ship it up. And then the gold comes from this other place. And the craftsmen work together. And they put blue and purple. And they decorate these gods. And it's the work of skillful men. They train. They work really hard to be able to put these things together so that then they could worship it.

In contrast to that, verse 10, but the Lord is the true God. They're doing all this work for false gods, for gods that are not gods, to worship things that are so dumb that they're not even able to receive the worship. The Lord is the true God. He is the living God. These gods, they're dead. You cut down the tree, it's already dead. You make this God, you form this God out of something that's dead.

He is the living God. He is the everlasting King. So if you buy the best vehicle that money can buy, how long will it last you? Is it everlasting? If you get the best savings that is available, how long will it last you? Is it everlasting? See, our God, He's the true God. He's the living God. He's the everlasting King. He's real. He's not fake.

He's alive. He's not dead. We celebrated that on Sunday. Jesus Christ resurrected. And He's everlasting. He's never ending. That's the God that we serve. That's the God that we want to be on our side. He goes on to say, His wrath, the earth is going to tremble. The nations will not be able to endure His indignation. This world will not be able to endure His indignation. None will endure the wrath of God.

So make sure you're on his good side. And of course you do that, not by working hard, not by being legalistic, but by faith in Jesus Christ. Glory not in your riches. Glory not in your wisdom. Glory not in your might. Glory in this, that you know God, that you have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Because he is the true and living God. He is the everlasting king and nobody is going to endure his wrath.

You cannot endure His wrath. And we are by nature children of wrath, Paul tells us in Ephesians. It's our nature. You follow the world. You become like the world. You learn the ways of the world. By nature, you're children of wrath. We cannot endure. We cannot survive the wrath of God. So we need to be in a right relationship with Him. Verse 11, Thus you shall say to them, The gods that have not made the heavens and earth...

Verse 1.

and He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain. He brings the wind out of His treasuries. So again, we're looking at this contrast between these false gods and the true and living God. So, the first hand here we have the false gods. They're in verse 11. Okay, so there's an announcement made. All the gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, well, they're going to perish.

So all you gods who haven't made the heavens and the earth, raise your hand. Okay, you're all going to perish, he says. Well, how many gods is that? What gods are those? All of them except for the true and living God. There's one God, one Lord, one Creator. He alone is God. He is the one who made the earth by His power. So if you worship anything, if your life is devoted to anything, if your passion is anything that has not created the world, that has not made the world,

you're worshipping the wrong thing. That's going to perish. And if that's going to perish, how is it going to save you? If your God perishes, how is your God going to save you? Makes sense, right? It's a good question. So, who do we want our God to be? He has made the earth by His power. He's established the world by His wisdom.

You know, sometimes when difficulties happen in our lives, we like to question God. We like to wonder why. Sometimes we get angry and bitter at God. And as Job is going through his great difficulties and distresses and all that he went through, and he's asking God all these questions, and at the end, God doesn't really give him a whole lot of answers. What God does is God asks him some more questions. And he shows Job that he doesn't compare to the wisdom of God.

Job was not capable of understanding what God was doing. Because we don't compare. He has all wisdom. He established the world by his wisdom. Can you do that? On the count of three, go ahead, create a world. Establish it by your wisdom. I don't think I can make it out of Legos. I mean, I just... God did it out of his wisdom. He knows. He has all wisdom. He's the creator. He stretched out the heavens at his discretion.

It was His decision. He said, hmm, I'm going to put that star there and then I'm going to put the earth right there and it's going to wrap around or revolve around it. Whatever that's called. You know what I mean. Orbit around it. And I'm going to put these over here and I'm going to put... God, it was His... He didn't have to defer. Well, I really need to create the star but man, my boss didn't tell me where to put it. He didn't give me the blueprints. No, He did it. He's the one. He is the creator. Again, on Sunday evening, that's what we're going to be looking at. Indescribable.

The Creator of the universe. The vast expanse of the creation of God. And how it demonstrates for us who God really is. He is all powerful. He has all wisdom and all knowledge. This is the God that we serve. He's the one that causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth. The whole water cycle.

The evaporation and then it comes down back and waters the earth. And He's the one who brings out the lightning for the rain and the wind out of His treasuries. Can you do that? This is the God that we serve. And if your God can't do that, if the thing that you're passionate about, if the thing that you are devoted to in your life can't do that, then you're worshiping the wrong God. Verse 14. Verse 14.

Everyone is dull-hearted, he says, without knowledge. Every metalsmith is put to shame by an image, for his molded image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. They are futile, a work of errors. In the time of their punishment, they shall perish. Now here's the contrast again, verse 16. The portion of Jacob is not like them, for he is the maker of all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance. The Lord of hosts is his name.

So again, we have this contrast. These idols, these false gods, they're dull-hearted, they have no knowledge. Even the ones who put them together, the metalsmith, they're put to shame because it's a fraud. It's fake. It's fake. All of the promoters of false religions, cults, they're going to be put to shame because it's false. It's a fraud. It's fake. It's not real.

There's one true and living God. One. There's a big push for, you know, let's kind of set aside our differences and come together and we all worship the same God. It's fraud. It's fake. Don't fall for it. He says, look, they're futile. They're a work of errors. A work of errors. False gods have blemishes. False gods have defects. Of course, the major one is that they're false. They're fake. They're fake.

They don't compare. In the time of their punishment, they shall perish. They're not going to last. They're going to perish. But he says, in contrast, the portion of Jacob, the God of Jacob, the God of Israel, the true and living God, Jesus Christ, He's not like them. He's not full of errors. He has breath. He's not dull-hearted. He has all wisdom and all knowledge. Those who worship Him will never be put to shame, the Bible says. He is the maker of all things. He is the creator, the Lord of hosts and

is His name. That's His name. This is the God that offers to you and I forgiveness, relationship, eternal life. He's the maker of all things. He's not like other gods. That's why He says, do not learn the way of the Gentiles. Don't follow the example of the unbelievers because there's no other God like our God.

There's not one that compares. There's not one that comes close. There's not one that will last. There's one Creator, one God, one Lord of heavens and earth. The Lord of hosts is His name. His name is Jesus. And at His name, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord. So make sure...

Don't be deceived. Make sure that you worship Him, that He is your passion, that He is your priority, that He is your God. Make sure. Be clear. Make a decision. Make a commitment. Give yourself to Him. Surrender to Him because He is the only one who can save you. All the nations will perish at His wrath. Make sure you're on His good side. Make sure you're with Him. Make sure you're a child of God.

As many as believed in him, to them he gave the right to become the children of God. But as we discussed on Sunday, to believe doesn't just mean to intellectually understand or agree. It means that you make him your Lord and your God. This is a great and desperate need for the church today. Because there's many in the church, I pray not in this church, but there's many in the church that follow the pattern, follow the example of the nation of Judah.

They go to the place where God has set his name. They go to church. But then in their homes, in their get-togethers, in their gatherings, in their workplaces, everywhere else they go, they have these other gods that they're worshiping. And they're not like Thomas who can say, my Lord and my God, and it be true. There's a great danger. Again, I ask you, I challenge you, take some time, consider. Let God speak to you.

Are you learning the ways of the Gentiles? Are you worshiping some false gods? Verse 17. Gather up your wares from the land, O inhabitant of the fortress. For thus says the Lord, Behold, I will throw out at this time the inhabitants of the land, and I will distress them that they may find it so. Woe is me for my hurt. My wound is severe. But I say, truly, this is an infirmity, and I must bear it.

My tent is plundered and all my cords are broken. My children have gone from me and they are no more. There is no one to pitch my tent anymore or set up my curtains. Here is a prophetic look at the response. When Judah experiences the judgment that God has promised it is going to experience, there's going to be great sorrow and distress. God is saying, look, pack up your things. You're moving out. Get your house in order. Get things ready.

Because this is about to happen. And this place is going to be left desolate without an inhabitant. There's going to be great judgment. Jerusalem is going to be disciplined. It's going to be emptied as a result of that discipline. The inhabitants are thrown out because they've learned the ways of the Gentiles. And just as the nations before them were involved in all the things that Deuteronomy 18 described...

interpreting omens, soothsaying, witchcraft, sorcery, conjuring spells and mediums and spiritists and calling up the dead. And God says they're an abomination and that's the reason I'm driving them out. And then Judah follows suit. They begin to involve themselves in the customs and practices. They follow the example of the world. They follow the same things. And so what happens? Same thing. They get driven out. They get thrown out. It is absolutely vital. It's critical. It's crucial that we do not allow

false gods into our lives. His rightful due is a place of prominence, preeminence, priority, passion. He is what our life is about. That's our God. There's no one like him. So fill your life with him. Fill your heart with him. Glory in this, that you know him. Verse 21, he says,

Therefore they shall not prosper and all their flocks shall be scattered. Behold, the noise of the report has come and a great commotion out of the north country to make the cities of Judah desolate, a den of jackals.

So he says, look, here's what's happened here. The shepherds have become dull-hearted. Now notice, he mentioned several times earlier that the idols and the things that they were worshipping were dull-hearted. And so you can see the pattern here. You become like what you worship. And so if you worship something that's dull-hearted, the shepherds were worshipping these false gods and they've become dull-hearted.

They've not sought the Lord. These things have led them away from God. They've not sought the Lord. They've not sought the Lord. Jeremiah chapter 23 is a portion there that always causes me to cry out to the Lord. Because in Jeremiah chapter 23, God says, if the shepherds, if the leaders of Israel, if the leaders of Judah would have sought me, if they would have called on my name, if they would have spent time in my presence,

The people would have turned back. The shepherds have become dull-hearted. And God says, look, if you would have turned, if you would have sought me, you leaders, you shepherds, I would have saved this people. The people would have turned back if you had sought me, if you had spent time in my presence. You see, there's a great responsibility upon us. As we saw on Sunday mornings as we went through 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, God's given every one of us a realm of responsibility, a call for discipleship.

And when we become dull-hearted, it does not just affect us, but it affects those that God has placed in that sphere of authority, in that realm of authority, where He's called us to be an example and a model. And so not only do we need to make God our priority and passion for our own sake, and because that's His rightful due, but also for the sake of those that God has placed around us, that He's called us to be an example for, because they're going to follow our example. And for their sake...

God must be our first. He must be our foremost. The leaders had not sought the Lord. And when you and I don't seek the Lord, it affects those around us that God has called us to make disciples of. There's a great danger. As a result, because they've not sought the Lord, they will not prosper, he says, and their flocks are going to be scattered. There's a great commotion and the cities are going to be desolate. There's going to be emptiness and desolation and devastation. That is the wake of

Of those who do not seek the Lord. As opposed to what God promised Joshua. Don't let this book of the law depart from your mouth. Meditate on it day and night. Then you will make your way prosperous and successful. Then you'll have good success. Seek first the kingdom of God. Seek the Lord. With your all. With everything. It's what you need. And it's what the people around you need. They've not sought the Lord. But Jeremiah now says in verse 23. Oh Lord.

I know the way of man is not in himself. It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps. O Lord, correct me, but with justice. Not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing. Pour out your fury on the Gentiles who do not know you, and on the families who do not call on your name. For they have eaten up Jacob, devoured him and consumed him, and made his dwelling place desolate. Here we have the opposite effect.

The opposite of not seeking the Lord. The opposite of these dull-hearted shepherds. Jeremiah prays this prayer. Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself. God says, don't learn the ways of the Gentiles. Don't learn their ways. Jeremiah says, Lord, I don't have what it takes to correct my ways. I've tried to change. I can't. It's hard. It's difficult. I try.

Lord, it's not in me. I am not able to direct my own steps. And so he says, Lord, you correct me. Lord, would you work in me? In these areas where I'm learning the ways, in these areas where I'm falling short, in these areas where I'm stumbling, Lord, would you do that work? Not in your anger, because you'll bring me to nothing, but calling out on the mercy of God, on the grace of God, Lord, would you do that work in me?

You see, this is not a message saying, hey, you know, watch out, don't worship these false gods, and so we go home and we try really hard not to worship. No, this is a message that should call us to seek God and to cry out to Him and say, Lord, would you do the work in me because my heart is prone to wander, and I'm tempted, and I'm swayed by, and I'm convinced by the world around me, and I want to follow their ways, and I think their gods are powerful, and I'm involved...

In their ways. I've learned their ways. But Lord, I don't know how to get out of them. I don't know how to change my ways. I don't know how to make a change in my life. I can't do it, Lord. I know it's not in me. I'm not strong enough. I'm not smart enough. I don't have all wisdom, all power and all might. Lord, would you correct me? Lord, would you please make that correction?

And Lord, your fury, you know, would you do that in those nations that don't know you? But Lord, I know you. And even though I fall short, even though I mess up, even though I wander sometimes and I begin to walk in their ways, Lord, would you correct me? It's calling out to God for his mercy, for his grace to do the work in us because we're not able to do it. The worship team's going to come up and lead us in worship at this time. And

Would you take this time to pray the prayer of Jeremiah? To say to the Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself. Lord, I don't even always understand my own ways. I may not even know those areas that I'm following, the Gentiles. I may not even be aware of this worship that I'm giving to this false God. Lord, would you correct me? Lord, would you bring me into right relationship? Lord, would you help me to put you in your rightful place?

Let's take some time this evening as we worship God to call out for His mercy, for His grace, for His work, that we would glory not in our riches, and not in our wisdom, and not in our might, but that we would truly learn to glory, and that we know the Lord, that He knows us, and that we have right standing with Him. Let's worship the Lord together.

We pray you have been blessed by this Bible teaching. The power of God to change a life is found in the daily reading of His Word. Visit ferventword.com to find more teachings and Bible study resources.