JEREMIAH 122009 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: Jeremiah 12

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.

This evening we're in Jeremiah chapter 12, and I'm going to approach this chapter a little bit differently than we have been in the sense that some of the things I'm just going to touch upon very briefly because they're very similar topics to what we've been seeing, and the Lord laid a specific portion of the chapter on my heart. So we'll cover the entire chapter briefly and then come back and discuss.

Zero in on a particular verse, and I think it'll probably be quite clear which verse that is as we get into it this evening. But let's start off in Jeremiah chapter 12, and we pick it up in verse 1. It says, Righteous are you, O Lord, when I plead with you, yet let me talk with you about your judgments.

Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously? Verse 2, you have planted them. Yes, they have taken root. They grow. Yes, they bear fruit. They are near in their mouth, but far, I'm sorry, you are near in their mouth, but far from their mind. But you, O Lord, know me. You have seen me and you have tested my heart towards you.

Verse 2.

Here as we start out in chapter 12 of Jeremiah, the prophet Jeremiah is starting a conversation with the Lord. And he's asking God a question. Now as we've seen in weeks past, Jeremiah is a prophet that has been given an incredibly difficult task.

He's been given the task of pronouncing judgment upon his own nation. And not only is he pronouncing judgment upon his nation, this judgment is going to happen. It's going to take place in his lifetime. He's going to pronounce the judgment, to warn of the judgment, to call them to repentance. They're not going to listen. And then it's going to go on so that he gets to see. He is forced to see. He's part of the life. And so he...

He watches the fulfillment of these promises that God has given come true. And he watches his nation who refused to repent be judged by God for their rebellion against God. And so Jeremiah has a very difficult ministry, a very difficult task, one that you and I, I'm sure, would not want to be a part of. And yet we have been given a very similar ministry today.

We've been called to preach the gospel and to make disciples and to share with the world around us the truth about the love of Jesus Christ, but also about the judgment of God that comes upon those who refuse to follow Jesus Christ and to make him their Lord and master.

And so you and I have been given a similar call. And like Jeremiah, we might be at times asking some questions of God. And that's what Jeremiah is doing here in chapter 12. And it's not so much that Jeremiah is challenging God.

He's not questioning God in the sense that he does not believe that God is good. He's saying, I don't understand. Lord, there's some things that I'm really struggling with. There's some areas that are really confusing me. But he's not challenging God.

To ask God is okay. To accuse God, well, that's something else entirely, and that's not something that we should take it upon ourselves to do, to accuse Him as if we know better than God.

Jeremiah recognizes that he doesn't. He says there in verse 1, he says, righteous are you, O Lord. He recognizes God is righteous. Everything that God does is right and just and perfect. There's not one exception to that. God is righteous.

But Jeremiah says, knowing that, yet Lord, can I talk with you about your judgments? Can I talk to you, Lord, about some things that are going on? You can see there's some conflict within him. He's wrestling with some of the things that are happening. And what is it that he's wrestling with? He says, why?

How many times do we wrestle with that question of why? Whether it be the same type of why question that Jeremiah is asking or any other question that begins with the word why, we often wrestle, we struggle with why.

Why? Why is this happening, Lord? Why have you allowed this? Why didn't you do something? And we could ask an infinite number of questions that begin with the word why. And Jeremiah here says, why does the way of the wicked prosper? This is what he's struggling with.

As he is there, he's proclaiming the message of God. He's being faithful to the call and the ministry that God had given to him. He's asking God. He's wrestling with this idea. Lord, there's wicked people and it seems like they're prospering. Lord, they're doing well. They're not struggling. They're not losing their homes. They're not having trouble with their children. They're doing well. Things are going good for them.

God, why is it that the way of the wicked prospers? And why are they happy when they deal so treacherously? I mean, they're really, you know, crooked in their business practices and they don't follow you and they don't care about integrity or the truth. They're really just doing their own thing and yet they're happy. Lord, why is this happening? He's wrestling with this question. But,

He's coming from the foundation, Lord, you're righteous. I'm not questioning that, but I just don't understand why this is happening, how this is happening. And so Jeremiah is wrestling with these things. He's asking God these questions. He says, look, I'm having a really hard time with this. God, I know that you're righteous, but how can this be? And how long is this going to happen? How long is the land going to mourn for this situation?

Lord, you know me, Jeremiah says. You've tested my heart. You know where I'm at. You know what goes on in me. But God, how long is this going to happen? And how long is this wickedness going to be left alone? Lord, when are you going to do this judgment? When are you going to bring judgment upon those who do wickedly? Well, God responds to Jeremiah. In verse 5, he says, If you have run with the footmen and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses?

And if in the land of peace in which you trusted they wearied you, then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan? Verse 6. For even your brothers, the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you. Yes, they have called a multitude after you. Do not believe them, even though they speak smooth words to you.

Here God responds to Jeremiah. Jeremiah is asking God, why Lord? Why is this happening? And God gives somewhat of a curious response. I think you would probably agree. You can imagine, I'm sure maybe you look around and you say, Lord, why do these guys get away with these criminal activities? Lord, how can you let this go on? And God's response to Jeremiah is, if you run with the footmen and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? And you could think, well,

Are you answering the question I asked or did someone else ask a question and I missed it? What does that have to do with anything? What God is telling Jeremiah, He's painting him a picture. He's giving him an illustration so that he would understand Jeremiah. You haven't even begun to see the trouble that's there. There's only a little bit and you're tired of this little bit, but the horses are coming. You've run with the footmen.

And they're wearying you. You're having trouble. You're wrestling with these ideas and you're struggling. But these are the easier times, God is telling Jeremiah. There's more difficult days ahead. He says, right now you're in the land of peace and they've wearied you, but how are you going to do in the floodplain of the Jordan? Now, when you're out there in the wilderness, how are you going to handle those days, Jeremiah? It's going to be more difficult. And God explains there in verse 6,

Because even your brothers, those closest to you, have conspired against you. And they're seeking to put you to death. Although they may, you know, smile at you and tell you nice things. He says, look, don't believe them. Even though they speak smooth words. Don't believe them, Jeremiah. They are conspiring against you. They're out to get you. Everyone, even your closest family, is seeking your destruction. God says, it's about to get a whole lot tougher.

He goes on to address Jeremiah's question now as we go on in verse 7.

He says, Verse 8. Verse 9. Verse 10.

Here God goes back to Jeremiah's really initial question of why. And God begins to share about his heritage. His heritage is the house of Israel or the nation of Judah. These are his people. God was passionately in love with and is still passionately in love with his people, the Jewish people.

And he wanted desperately to redeem them, to save them, to bless them, but they refused to allow him to by rebelling against him continually and not turning around. Even though he sent them an abundance of prophets, an abundance of messages, an abundance of warnings, they refused. And so God is torn up over this as well. He says, look, I have forsaken my house. I have left my heritage.

And they are going to be destroyed. He says, my heritage to me is like a lion in the forest. They've cried out against me. They've turned against me. Now they're rebelling against me. They're fighting against me. And so he says, therefore, I have hated it. God says, look, Jeremiah, I am doing something.

God is at work even when you cannot see it. We ask the question, why? God has the answer. He doesn't normally tell us the answer, but we can rest assured that God is at work even when we cannot see it. God says, look, my heritage, my people, I have forsaken them. You may not see all the effects of it yet, Jeremiah, but I'm assembling the beasts of the field.

I'm bringing them to devour. And judgment is going to be poured out upon this land. It is going to happen, Jeremiah. I'm upset over it, God is saying, because it's my heritage. These are my people and I love them. But I'm forced because they are fighting against me. I've been forced to assemble the beasts of the field and they're coming to devour. You don't see it yet, Jeremiah, but it is in the works. Verse 10 says,

Verse 1.

They have sown wheat, but reaped thorns. They have put themselves to pain, but do not profit, but be ashamed of your harvest because of the fierce anger of the Lord. God continues to explain much of the nation of Judah's problems had to do with their leaders. The rulers had destroyed the vineyard. The vineyard was a way that God often referred to his people and his land.

He says they've trodden it down underfoot. They've made it a desolate wilderness. And so you can imagine where a vineyard should be. It should be this, you know, these rows and rows of vines and abundant fruit. It's a desolate wilderness. It's empty. It's barren. And this is the land that God had chosen and the people that God had chosen to put in this land. He says they've made it desolate. And it mourns to me. It cries out to me in mourning because the land is desolate and it's meant to be fruitful.

And he says it's because no one has taken it to heart. No one has taken it to heart. No one has taken these warnings. No one's paid attention. No one has responded. As Larry was just sharing, they were experts in hearing the message and not changing anything in their life. They didn't respond.

And as a result, the land has become desolate. And so the plunderers have come. The surrounding nations now have come and they've attacked and they've taken the prosperity and the plenty from the nation of Judah, the nation of Israel. And now the land is left desolate. They've tried really hard to survive though. They sowed wheat.

They were still working hard. They were trying to experience the abundance of fruit. They were trying to bring in the harvest, but even though they sowed wheat, they did their best. They tried to provide for themselves and continue to let the land bring forth abundant fruit, but instead they reaped thorns. Thorns.

They tried really hard. He says, they've put themselves to pain, but do not profit. They're killing themselves working so hard, trying to profit, trying to have abundance, trying to be fruitful, trying to make ends meet. They're killing themselves. They're working four jobs and overtime and all of them and just pushing themselves to the limit. You get the picture. They're putting themselves to pain. They're working really hard, but they don't profit.

Because of the fierce anger of the Lord. Because they're in constant rebellion against God. This was the state of the nation that God had chosen, that God had called out of Egypt, that God had established and given the promises of the land, the promised land. They've come this far that now they're in rebellion against God.

Now God addresses the surrounding nations as we close the chapter, verse 14. Verse 14.

Then it shall be after I have plucked them out that I will return and have compassion on them and bring them back, everyone to his heritage and everyone to his land. And it shall be if they will learn carefully the ways of my people to swear by my name as the Lord lives, as they taught my people to swear by Baal, then they shall be established in the midst of my people.

God now addresses the surrounding nations, the evil neighbors. And he says, they too are going to be plucked out.

Because they've abused my people. They've ripped off the inheritance and the land. They've not been good neighbors. They've been evil neighbors. And so they are going to be dealt with as well, Jeremiah. Jeremiah is saying, God, how can you allow these wicked nations around us to attack us and oppress us? And God says, look, they're going to be judged as well.

They're going to get what's coming. Again, you may not see it, Jeremiah, but I'm at work. I'm going to pluck them out of the land. I'm going to pluck Judah out from their midst. Judah is going to be preserved. And we see that that happens later on. Judah goes to Babylon in captivity, but they're preserved as a nation and they are brought back after 70 years of captivity and they're brought back into their land and they're reestablished there in the land.

So God says, I'm going to pluck out the house of Judah from among them, but those surrounding nations that have been abusing Israel and taking advantage of them, I'm going to deal with them. I'm going to pluck them out. But after I've plucked them out, God says, this is the graciousness and mercy of God. He says, I'm going to return and have compassion on them.

Those surrounding nations, those evil nations that have been dealing not so well with the nation of Israel, that have been attacking and abusing them. He says, I'm going to bring them back into their own land. So nations like Edom, like Egypt, like Moab,

We talked about this a lot in the book of Isaiah because God promised, ìHey, I'm going to judge these nations. They've been doing wickedly and they've been treating Israel very poorly. I'm going to judge them, but then I'm going to not judge them completely and wipe them off the face of the earth.î

But I'm going to bring them back into their own lands. There were some nations that God dealt with that they don't exist any longer. Like the Philistines. They don't exist any longer. God dealt with them severely because of their rebellion against Him. But these surrounding nations that God is addressing here, He says, look, I'm going to bring you back into the land. And it will be at that time, He says, look, when you come back into the land, if you'll learn my ways...

If you'll learn to swear by my name, saying, as the Lord lives. If you learn to recognize that I am Lord, God is saying. If you learn to put me in my rightful place, and if you will make me your God, just as you taught my people to follow your gods, if you will learn to follow me, God says, yes.

You're going to be established in the midst of my people. I'm going to take care of you. I'm going to preserve you. If you, when you come back into the land, if you will honor me and put me first in your life. But he says there at the end of verse 17, but if you do not obey, this is your last chance. If you do not obey, then I will pluck you up and destroy that nation, says the Lord. And so God is giving these surrounding nations some judgment.

but as well as compassion and a second chance, another opportunity to turn and to follow God and to make Him their Lord. And so we see Jeremiah's question is answered, not so much with the direct answer that Jeremiah, I'm sure, hoped for, but God is saying, I'm at work. I'm taking care of the sin. I'm taking care of the wickedness. It's going to be judged, but I'm a merciful and compassionate God.

I don't just strike. I don't just wipe them off the face of the earth. I'm going to deal with them and I'm going to give them a chance. God rebukes us. He disciplines us. But it's always with an opportunity to get right with Him, to repent, to turn around and do things the way that He's called us to do them.

But the portion that I really want to spend a few more moments on this evening with you is there in verse 5, as God begins His response to Jeremiah. Let's read verse 5 once again. God answers Jeremiah and says, "...if you have run with the footmen and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace in which you trusted they wearied you, then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?"

And I want to talk to you for just a moment about running with the horses. Have you gone running with the horses lately? It has nothing to do with running with the bulls. You know, that's completely different. Running with the horses. God is responding to Jeremiah and he says, Jeremiah, you're struggling in the life that I've called you to and the ministry that you're participating in. You're having a hard time. You're wearied, Jeremiah.

But what are you going to do? These are just the footmen. These are the easier days. What are you going to do? Because around the corner, well, the horses are coming. How will you contend when the days get tougher? You ever consider that? We look ahead for our nation and it should cause us to consider how will we contend when the days get tougher? When the horses... Alright, this is the days of the foot soldiers. We're running with the footmen, but...

As you look at the book of Revelation, as you look at the promises of the tribulation, you know things get worse. Even before the tribulation period, God promises, God says, look, things are going to get tough. Things are going to get very difficult for followers of me, for those who have decided to be my disciples. Jesus said it's going to be very difficult. And if you're weary right now, if you're struggling right now, what are you going to do?

In those days, in the days of the horses, will you be able to contend? Now this is not meant, you know, so that we all feel bummed out and say, oh my goodness, I struggle today. How am I going to deal with those days tomorrow? You know, Jesus told his disciples, in this world you're going to have much tribulation. But cheer up. Be excited, you know, smile. Well, you just told us we're going to have much tribulation. What are we supposed to be cheering about? Jesus says, I've overcome the world.

Jesus has overcome the world. Tomorrow's problems, first of four points I want to share with you this evening. Tomorrow's problems will be more difficult than today's. Tomorrow's problems will be more difficult than today's. If you're weary running with the horsemen, or the footmen, he says, how will you contend with horses? Because horses are coming, Jeremiah. Right now in the land of peace, you're weary. What are you going to do out in the wilderness?

Now you're in Survivor Season 27 or whatever. What are you going to do over there? How are you going to survive? If you're tired here in the midst of your luxury, if you're tired here in the land of peace, if you're tired right now, if you're wearied right now, if it's difficult right now, what are you going to do? Because tomorrow's problems will be more difficult than today's. You could put it this way. Enjoy today's problems because tomorrow's will be more difficult.

Enjoy today's problems. You know, it's a lesson that we have to learn in life, that life does not get easier. You know, when you're young and you're in school, you're fantasizing about those days when you're finally done with school, right? When you finally graduate from high school, life is so much easier when you finally graduate from high school.

And then you get into college. Or then you have to decide upon a career. Or then you got to try to find a job. And then you realize, man, I had it so easy in high school. Things were... Man, it was much better than what I have to deal with now. In those days when you're single and you think, man, when I get married, things are going to be so much easier. Man, it's going to be so great when I'm married. There's not going to be... I mean...

I'm sure, yes, there's problems, but nothing like I struggle right now. And then you get married and then you look back and go, man, I had it so nice in those days. I mean, it's worth it. Don't get me wrong. It's worth it. But the struggles, man, they were so much easier. The problems I had then were not, they don't compare with the problems and the struggles and the issues that I face today.

Or we look ahead and we think, man, when I get this job or when I finally get in this career or to this position, we can go on and on. We always think the next stage of life or just beyond our reach is going to be so much easier. And as a result, we put off obedience. We put off obedience because we think, man, it's so difficult for me to obey today.

It's so difficult for me to apply the Word of God today. It's so difficult for me to do what God has called me to do today. But tomorrow it's going to be easier. Tomorrow I'll be more prepared. Tomorrow I'll be able to do what God is calling me to do. So I'm not disobeying. I'm just putting it off a little bit. We delay steps of faith.

You know, God's been speaking to our heart. God's been stirring up something. He's been giving you some insights, some direction. He's been prompting you and challenging you. But it's just really difficult right now. And tomorrow it's going to be a little bit easier to take that step of faith. Or, you know, when this check comes in, then it'll be a little bit easier to take that step of faith. Or when this situation is resolved, then it'll be okay. Then I'll be ready to take that step of faith.

We delay it. We push it back. We put off obedience. We procrastinate Bible study. Well, today's busy and I've got a lot of things to do and so I can't spend time in the Word, but tomorrow is going to be so much easier to get down and read the Word of God and hear from... Tomorrow's going to be great, but today I've just got too much going on.

We avoid ministry opportunities because, well, I've got this going on and I'm late for this appointment and I have to do those things and tomorrow will be better. Tomorrow is a better day. It's going to be easier tomorrow to minister to that person, to spend time in the Word of God, to take that step of faith, to be obedient to what God has said.

We put off thinking that tomorrow is going to be easier, but I want to remind you, tomorrow's problems will be more difficult than today's. We always think it will be easier later on, but the reality is, life gets more difficult. Life gets more difficult, and the problems that we face are bigger tomorrow than they are today. Sometimes people delay a decision to make Jesus Christ their Savior and Lord.

They know the truth. They know the gospel. And they say things like, well, when the rapture happens, then I can make that choice. Then I'll decide. And it's often been challenged. It's a good challenge. If you cannot live for God today, what makes you think you'll be able to die for Him tomorrow? Putting it off doesn't make it easier. Tomorrow it's not going to be easier to make a decision to follow Jesus Christ. Tomorrow it's not going to be easier to be obedient to God.

Whatever it is that he's been speaking to you. Next month, it's not going to be easier to take that step of faith. Tomorrow, it's not going to be easier to spend time in the word. There's not a better time than right now to take advantage of that opportunity to minister to someone around you. Tomorrow's problems will be more difficult than today's. Have you ever had something turn out to be more difficult than you anticipated?

then you know what I'm talking about. We always think it's going to be easy. Perhaps you thought that of the Christian walk. You know, you started it. Things are going to be great now, man. I'm a Christian and God loves me and I'm not going to have trials and I'm going to be blessed and all the problems are going to be fixed and everything is going to be resolved. Maybe you thought it was going to be easy and you found out, man, this is more difficult than I thought, than I was prepared for. Enjoy today's problems.

Because tomorrow's will be more difficult. And you're like, okay, well this is really encouraging. Thanks, Sherry. So point number two. Today's struggle is preparation for tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow's struggles will be more difficult. Tomorrow's problems will be bigger. But today's problems equip you to be able to deal with those problems. They strengthen you to be able to survive those struggles. They prepare you.

For what is going to happen tomorrow. For that situation that is around the corner. For that season that is coming in the months ahead. The things that we wrestle with today. The things that we face today. Those are the things that prepare us for what God knows is coming next. We are built. Our bodies, our persons, emotionally, physically, physically,

We've been built with a need to struggle in order to grow. Just think about it for a moment. If you want to tone your physique, if you want to grow in strength physically, what do you need to do? You have to struggle.

You have to lift weights. And why are weights called weights? Because they're heavy. Because they're weights. And you have to lift them. And you have to push them. And you have to work. And you have to struggle. And it's that struggle that causes you to be strengthened. That causes you to grow. And if you don't lift those weights, that growth will not take place. It won't happen. We've been built this way. If you want to...

Grow in endurance physically. What do you need to do? Well, you need to reach the limit of your endurance right now and go a little bit beyond it. And you grow in endurance. You grow in your ability to persevere, to run that extra hundred feet or that extra mile.

You want to prepare for a marathon. What do you need to do? You need to start running and you run a little bit farther and a little bit farther and a little bit farther. We're designed to need that struggle in order to grow, to move on to the next step. Same thing with our minds. In order to learn, in order to reach new capabilities mentally,

To accomplish new tasks mentally, it's a struggle. We have to learn. We have to think. We have to process. It doesn't just happen overnight. We don't just wake up and now, oh, I was 40 pounds overweight yesterday, but today I'm ready to run a marathon. It does not happen. No, you have to train. You have to prepare. And the preparation of that day prepares you for the preparation of the next day.

which is preparation for the day after that, which is preparation for the day after that. And then if we tried to run the marathon without those days of preparation, well, we would not make it to the end. We would not survive. It's that preparation, it's that daily struggle that prepares us for that finish line. The struggles that you and I face in life are preparation for the things that are about to face us and that we're about to deal with.

The struggles that we undergo are preparation for what's around the corner. Whether they be financial struggles or relationship struggles or emotional struggles, job struggles, church struggles, whatever they might be. The struggle that you go through, the difficulty that you face is preparation for tomorrow. If life was only easy and comfortable, we would never go beyond where we currently are. We've been designed, we've been made,

In such a way that it requires that we struggle, that we fight, that we lift, that we push, that we press on and endure in order to grow. A few weeks ago, or maybe it was a couple months ago now, I shared about the thing that happens in nature with giraffes and how a mom giraffe, whenever she's pregnant, she gives birth standing up, the baby giraffe gives

Well, if you've seen the legs on a giraffe, you get the picture. It has a little bit of a drop and there's a thud as it hits the ground. And then the mom looks at it for a second and kicks it. And the baby giraffe goes tumbling and the mom kicks it again. And the baby giraffe tries to get up and the mom kicks it over. And it tries to get up and it kicks it. It finally gets all the way up on its own. The mom kicks it again. The baby giraffe struggles one last time to get up to its feet, to stand on its feet.

And then the mom doesn't kick it down after that. But it has this series of kicking it around, beating it down. And we can look on and we can say, oh, how cruel, how horrible, what a terrible mother that is. But the reality is that struggle goes on to prepare that baby giraffe for the next day. See, because mom knows, well, the predators, they're coming tomorrow.

And little baby giraffe, if you don't learn to stand now, if you try to learn to stand tomorrow, when the predators are here, it's too late and you'll be devoured. And so the mom causes that baby giraffe to struggle so that it can grow, so that it can be prepared for the struggles that will face it tomorrow. Today you're going to learn to stand. Tomorrow you have to learn to run. Today you learn to stand. Tomorrow you have to learn to run. You know, we often say, you know, if God had told me,

where I would be today, 10 years ago, I wouldn't have gone, I wouldn't have taken the journey. If God would have told me what I had to go through, I would have gone a different way. But I'm here today. I exist today. I've survived to this day because of the struggles of the previous days and the difficulties of the days that I've gone through. And those days have prepared me for this day. And we're often so afraid of the difficulty

but it's exactly what we need because of what is ahead now here's the thing we don't know what's ahead do you know what's in store for your life we can make our plans we can have you know our five-year goals and five-year plans and picture yourself in 10 years and where are you going to be and we can have it all laid out in our head you can look at you know the speculation the analysts with our current economy and

all of their thoughts and you can try to look ahead, but the reality is we have no idea. We're absolutely clueless. We do not know what tomorrow holds. We have no idea what life is going to be like tomorrow. Things look bleak, but tomorrow could change everything. The windows of heaven could be opened and we could be back in another season of plenty and prosperity. Or things could get worse and they could be more difficult. Or they could stay the same. We have no idea. We're absolutely clueless and

And the experts can guess, but they don't know what God knows.

You don't know what tomorrow holds in your life. You don't know what next week holds in your life. You don't know what next year holds in your life. But God does. And listen, you're in God's hands. You're in the palm of His hands. Everything that comes to you comes through the filter of His love because He is preparing you for those things that are around the corner. Jeremiah says, Lord, what in the world is going on? How am I supposed to deal with this? How am I supposed to handle this? And God says, listen, Jeremiah,

Handle it. I've given you what you need. Go through it because this is just the footmen and the horses are coming. And so Jeremiah, you need to grow through this difficulty because it's preparation for the horses that are coming. You need to learn these lessons because there's more difficult subjects in the next semester. We don't know what is ahead, but God does. And today He's preparing you for tomorrow. Receive. Receive the preparation of God.

Receive what God wants to do. Now we could get all freaked out and stressed out about the unknowns of tomorrow. We don't know what's tomorrow and so we could look at all the possibilities and so that when tomorrow happens, you know, we've got our chart. Well, if this happens, then I do this. If this happens, then I do that. If this happens, you know, Jesus said in Matthew chapter 6 verse 34, do not worry about tomorrow.

For tomorrow will worry about its own things. But notice what Jesus said at the end of the verse there. He says, Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. You have enough trouble today. Focus on today and get through today's trouble. Learn today's lessons. Survive the day, Jesus says, because it's preparation for tomorrow. Today's trouble is sufficient for you. It's exactly what you need. It's not more than what you can handle.

It's exactly what is necessary to prepare you. So focus on today. Overcome today. Obey today. Conquer today. Do it today. Because today's trouble is sufficient for you. Don't worry about tomorrow. By focusing on today, by getting through this day, by learning these lessons, by being obedient to God today, in the midst of difficulty, in the midst of struggle, that's what prepares you for tomorrow. But if you try to get...

to tomorrow's struggles without going through today's, you're going to be in a world of hurt and you're not going to be prepared. Today's struggle is preparation for tomorrow. So number one, tomorrow's problems will be more difficult, but cheer up. Today's struggle prepares you for tomorrow. Number three, you can cheer up even a little bit more. Today's struggle is not too great. Today's struggle is not too great for you to handle.

It's not more than you're able to bear. Maybe you could rephrase it this way. You are not as wimpy as you think you are. You can handle it. It's not too great. You can do it. You can survive the day. You can learn the lesson. You can take that step of obedience. You can take the step of faith. You're not as wimpy as you think you are. In 1 Corinthians 10, verse 13, Paul the Apostle is talking about the fact that we all go through struggles.

He uses the word temptation, but as we saw in the book of James, the word temptation, the word trial, it's the same word. The testings that we go through in the forms of struggles, in the forms of temptation. And he says in 1 Corinthians 10.13, with the temptation, with the struggle, with the trial, with the testing, the difficulties that we face, he says, with those difficulties, God will also make a way of escape that you may be able to bear it.

God has already prepared the way. He's already made a way of escape. He's already made it possible that you can bear it, that you can overcome, that you can endure. You don't have to give up. You're not as wimpy as you think you are. You can, by the grace of God, through the Spirit of God, in the strength of God, through the Word of God, because of the Son of God, you can do it.

You can overcome. Today's struggle is not too great. You can do it today. Today's struggle is sufficient for you and you can overcome it. You can endure it. You can survive it because God has prepared you for it and he's prepared a way of escape that you may be able to bear it. But listen, you need to do it today because of what's in store for you tomorrow.

It's important. It's necessary that you endure today. It's important that you overcome today. It's important that you hold fast today to the Word of God. It's important today that you resist temptation because of what you're going to face tomorrow and what's around the corner. And see, like Jeremiah, we can often ask, Why, Lord? Why are you allowing all these things? And God, I've been in this situation and it seems like it's been an eternity.

It seems like I've been here in the same spot forever. And God, things have been so difficult. Lord, why? And God, I look at the neighbor around the corner and man, they're dealing drugs, but they're driving nice cars. They've got abundance of food on their table.

Lord, why? Why? I'm serving you. Why am I in this spot, we can ask. Lord, why am I hurting this way? Why do I face this pain? God, I love you. I'm serving you. Why are these people happy and why am I miserable? Why is my life so tough? We can question God. We can ask God. We can begin to doubt the goodness and righteousness of God. But the reality is, as Jeremiah recognized, God is righteous. Everything that He does is right. Everything that He does is right.

And He knows what we do not know. He knows what awaits us. He knows what's ahead for us. He knows those difficulties are greater than the ones that we face today. And so He uses today to prepare us for that day, for those days. He uses the struggle there with the footmen to prepare us for the horses. Today's struggle is not too great. You can overcome. You can endure. And you need to.

Because God knows what you don't know. He knows what's around the corner. He knows what awaits you. And He seeks to prepare you for that. So number one, tomorrow's problems will be more difficult than today's. Number two, today's struggle is preparation for tomorrow. Number three, today's struggle is not too great. And finally, number four, exhaustion is an excuse and not a reason. And this is something that the Lord was speaking to me out of my devotions this week.

Exhaustion is an excuse and not a reason. In the book of Judges chapter 8, we have the account of Gideon. It actually starts a few chapters earlier. But you know the story of Gideon. Humble man, timid man, freaked out man. God tells him, I want you to deliver my people from the Midianites. And you know how it goes. He's like, but Lord, I'm like...

you know, part of the least tribe of Israel and my family is the least of our tribe and I'm the least of my family and I'm nobody. God says, I want to do it. So through a series of things, Gideon finally comes around. It comes to the night that is going to happen. He's got 300 men with him. The Midianites, it doesn't even give us a number. It says they're innumerable. Too many to count. 300 to infinity. How do you like those odds?

Gideon gets his guys, you know, they break the pots, they have the torches, they blow the trumpets. God does a miracle. The Midianites defeat themselves. They turn against each other. They turn against one another. They wipe themselves out. There's a few of them that escape and so they take off. They're in full retreat. And so Gideon and his 300 men, they're pursuing them. And they're chasing them a pretty good distance. Now, if you've ever...

had something difficult to do the next day. You understand, you don't get a lot of sleep the night before. Gideon and his men, they've been up all night knowing, oh my goodness, tomorrow it's 300 versus infinity. They attacked in the middle of the night. They chased them all morning. They all threw out the middle of the night through the morning. They haven't eaten. They've been just running, fighting. It's been difficult. It tells us in Judges 8, verse 4,

When Gideon came to the Jordan, he and the 300 men who were with him crossed over. And it says, exhausted but still in pursuit. They hadn't slept. They'd been fighting. They'd been running. They'd been chasing. They're winded. They're exhausted. They're crossing the Jordan, exhausted but still in pursuit. Exhaustion is an excuse, not a reason. And there's many other excuses that we have, many other excuses that we use.

As to why we can't overcome and why we don't endure and why we don't persevere and why we don't do what God has called us to do and why we don't learn the lessons today that we need to learn. We've got all kinds of excuses. Exhaustion is just one of them. But it's a good reminder. These guys were exhausted, but they were still in pursuit. If everyone quit running when they were exhausted, we would not have the champions that we have today. What do Olympians do?

They push themselves to exhaustion and beyond. For us, very often exhaustion means, "I guess I gotta quit now, I'm tired." For them, "I'm tired, but the job's not done. The work isn't over. They're still in pursuit." Exhaustion, complete and total exhaustion, it's an excuse and not a reason. Don't give up. Don't give in. Don't quit. Don't bail out of the ministry today.

Because of exhaustion or any other excuse. Today's struggle is not too great. You are able to overcome. And we can apply this in a variety of ways. Let me throw out a few, but bottom line is you seek the Lord. And you let God deal with your heart where He needs to. When it comes to temptation, exhaustion is not a reason to give in to temptation.

We say, well, I don't normally do this, but man, I'm so tired. I was so weak. I was in such a weakened state and I just couldn't help myself. That's an excuse. It's not a reason. In Hebrews chapter 12, verse 4, the author of Hebrews says, look, you have not yet resisted the bloodshed and resisting against sin. If you haven't resisted the bloodshed yet, you haven't resisted long enough. Exhaustion is not an excuse. There is no excuse.

Resist. God has given you everything that you need. He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to bear. But He makes a way of escape. He provides a way that you can bear it, that you can overcome, that you can endure, that you can persevere. Don't let yourself fall into the deception and lies of the enemy that you have to give in to temptation. You do not have to. You have everything that you need to overcome, to endure, and to be obedient to God.

How about ministry? Sharing with one another. On Wednesdays, every week, we have the opportunity to minister to one another, to pray with one another. We often encourage you, hey, go and get out of your seat, go and pray for someone. Share with them a scripture that God has been ministering to you about, or go ask them to pray for you. Go and minister to someone. And we have all kinds of excuses of why we won't, why we can't. But today is preparation for tomorrow.

And you know, if you're not able, if you're not willing, here amongst a body of believers to go and pray for someone, how are you going to do that tomorrow? Out in the world, out in the workplace, there in your family, where it's much more difficult. You see, tonight is practice for the rest of the week. Because God's called you to go and make disciples. He's called you to be a witness. He's called you to share Him with the world around you. And He's given us a great environment to practice.

A great environment where we love one another and we love to hear one another share about God and the things of God. We love to pray with one another. We come up with all kinds of excuses though. All kinds of reasons why we justify it, why we don't, why we just sit there. Listen, today it's preparation for what God wants to do. So go and minister to one another during that time. Pray for others. Share with them scriptures because it's preparing you for what God wants to do next in you and through you.

How about the subject of Bible study? Listen, you have the discipline that you need to spend time in the Word of God today. You have the time you need. You have the discipline you need. You have everything that you need. Exhaustion is an excuse, not a reason. If you're too busy to spend time with God, then He's not your God. You have everything that you need. Obey. Overcome. Conquer. Because today is preparation for tomorrow. And you need to be fed in the Word of God. You need to spend time with Him.

It's not easier tomorrow. When you put it off, it's more and more difficult. How about forgiveness? That's an issue that we can struggle with and it affects us greatly. Bitterness takes root and it causes great destruction. But did you know you have everything that you need today to forgive that person you need to forgive? Jesus said, forgive as God has forgiven you.

He gave the parable so that we would remember. The slave that was forgiven this great debt by the master and then he didn't forgive the lesser debt and obey. Exhaustion, injustice, those are excuses. Those are not reasons for you to be disobedient and harbor unforgiveness in your heart. Steps of faith. You have everything that you need today to take that step of faith that God has placed upon your heart.

Tomorrow doesn't get easier. Tomorrow is not a better time. It's not a better today. Be obedient. Respond. Take the steps of faith that God has called you to take. Maybe you're in pain today. This will be the final example. The Apostle Paul endured and suffered some type of affliction. He doesn't give us the details. We don't know what it was. He calls it a thorn in the flesh. A thorn in his side. Some type of difficulty.

Very likely something medical, something, well, relating to affliction, relating to physical pain. And he asks God, he begs God three times, Lord, take this away from me. Remove it from my life. Take this out of my life, God. And what's God's response to him? My grace is sufficient for you. You have what you need. And your pain is not an excuse for disobedience. Well, it is an excuse, but it's not a good one. It's not a reason.

God's grace is sufficient for you. You can be the child of God that He's called you to be while enduring the pain that you endure today, whether it be physical or emotional or otherwise. You can be the way that God has called you to be, the way that God has wanted you to be, the way that God has commanded you to be, because His grace is sufficient for you. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble, but God's grace is sufficient for us to overcome, to endure pain.

and to be obedient to what He's calling us to do. The worship team is going to come up and lead us in some worship. And I want to ask that as they do, as we spend this time in worship, that you let God speak to your heart during this first song. Spend time with Him. No more excuses. You hear from God. And as Larry began the evening encouraging us, apply it. Put it into practice. Respond to what He says. Because tomorrow's problems will be more difficult than today's.

And today's struggle, the difficulty that you have today, the difficulty or the difficult thing that God has called you to do today, it's preparation for what you're going to face tomorrow. Today's struggle is not too great for you. You are able to overcome. So lay aside the excuses. Philippians 4.13 tells us we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. Let's look to Jesus Christ this evening and learn to overcome this day.

and to walk in victory in the life that He's called us to live. Let's worship the Lord together.