Jeremiah 12:1-3
INTRO:
Jeremiah 12:1-3
You are always righteous, O LORD,
when I bring a case before you.
Yet I would speak with you about your justice:
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why do all the faithless live at ease?
2You have planted them, and they have taken root;
they grow and bear fruit.
You are always on their lips
but far from their hearts.
NIV
The Lord told Jeremiah about Juda’s breaking of the covenant which their ancestors made with Him. They built idols, bowed down to other gods, gods that were carved in wood, hammered and shaped from metal, adorned with jewels and trinkets, they prayed to Baal, burning incense on the alters that were built for the worship their god. Yahveh told Jeremiah to no longer pray for the people for I will not hear their cries. I will forsake them.
Yahveh once called them a thriving olive tree, beautiful to see and full of good fruit. But Yahveh Almighty who planted the olive tree have ordered it destroyed for the people of Isreal and Judea have done evil, provoking His anger.
Jeremiah 12:1-3
You are always righteous, O LORD,
when I bring a case before you.
Yet I would speak with you about your justice:
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why do all the faithless live at ease?
2You have planted them, and they have taken root;
they grow and bear fruit.
You are always on their lips
but far from their hearts.
NIV
I. Jeremiah asks a very real question
A. Why are the wicked so properous ?
1. Haven’t we asked the very same question ?
i. We look around
B. Why does Father Yahveh allow people that do not know His requirements , do not follow His commandments or His ways become properous ?
1. I’ve asked this question many times
2. People have asked me this question
3. I heard this subject preached in sermons by well known ministers that tried to bring forth an intelligent, none controversal answer
4. Why do people that have no relationship with Yahveh, Prosper
C. Answers
1. Ignorance is bliss.
i. God winks at their ignorance
2. Hosatan will not hinder a person that does nothing for yahveh
3. Hosatan causes the unspiritual to become prosperous
4. They have found the secret of how to use Yahveh’s word to reach their material goals with no commitment to His ways
D. More Questions
1. If ignorance is bliss and Yahveh does wink at our ignorance then why should we dig any deeper into God’s word, it will only cause us to be more accountable to Him
i. Acts 17:30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
NIV
a. There is your answer - In the past He gave us mercy because of our ignorance, but now we are all commanded by Yahveh to stop pretending that we do not know or understand and repent
2. Hosatan will not bother with the ungodly he is only going after the saints, in fact he cares for those that follow him.
i. Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
NIV
a. Satan hates man because we were made in God’s own image and he remembers what God did to him
3. Satan causes the ungodly to become prosperous
i. Why ? Surely satan can not bless anyone for he is the father of destruction, death, lies. Everything he comes in contact with he wants to destroy
4. The secret of how to use God’s word
i. Mark 9:38 "Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."
NIV
a. He was not one of us
D. Seminars teach belief
1. No matter what is being sold
2. Believe in yourself and you will receive
3. Do things in a certain order and it will come to pass
4. Hold tight and don’t let go
5. List
E. Faithful to follow through
1. Believe what is being taught
2. Set your sight on it.
3. Constantly think about it, live it, eat it, drink it, speak it
4. Totally be consumed by it
5. Commit to it with all you have
F. Met a millionair
1. Owned Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts
2. Asked how he became rich
3. Answered "Commitment, perserverence, and a strong belief in what you are doing
4. Think as though you already have what you seek
G. So, why do people that no not the ways of Yahveh Prosper?
1. Mark 11:25 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
NIV
2. God’s word is a very powerful tool when used properly
i. Even the unbelievers know the concept of god’s word even if they don’t credit the Father with the blessing
II. Attaining Spiritual Life
A. First we need to seek Yahveh as you would a fine treasure
B. When you find Him, you must have faith for Heb 11:6 says "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. "
NIV
1. Without faith it is impossible to please Father Yahveh
i. Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
NKJV
a. With that measure of faith that was dealt from God we can use it in Yahveh’ kingdom or we can use itin satan’s realm
2. Believe He exists
C. Continually keep Yahveh on your mind and your lips
1. Acts 2:25 David said about Him: "`I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
NIV
2. Study about Him through the Word
3. Talk to Him through prayer
4. Above all, listen to what He has to say
D. Allow His Spirit to totally consume us
1. Desire a relationship with the Father
2. Allow Him to move in our lives
E. Speak his words to yourself, to others, to all creatures
1. Speaking His words builds our faith and blesses and nurtures those that hear
F. Allow His Spirit to flow through us and overflow onto others
1. When the Spirit of the Lord overflows, those nearby will be able to benefit from the joy, the peace and the love that God shares with us
G. Live our life as Yahshua lived His
1. Learn His ways
2. Think as He did
3. Walk in His path
H. Commit ourselves to do as Yahveh has commanded
1. Stay lined up with Yahveh’s word and Persevere
2. Be patient, Follow through
I. By the word of Yahveh, if we do these things and do not vary from the path we will be prosperous with spiritual wealth and riches and all the needs of this life. What more could we possibly want?
CONCLUSION:
If a man has all the material things of this world and does not have spiritual life what does he really have?
Sure, we can exist on this planet without ever comming to God. We can have all of the things that our five senses enjoy here on this earth. But do we really have anything?
There is no joy greater than waking up to a loving God that stays by you every waking moment and every moment we are asleep.
There is no peace greater than knowing that Father Yahveh has ordered your steps this day and every day to come.
There is no greater security than knowing that God is faithful to fulfill every word He has spoken and will not break His covenant with us.
Sure, we can forsake Him and turn away, but when you have trully come into the presence of the Living God and bask in His radiance, experiencing His love, listening to His voice and sense his tender touch, reaching the fulfillment of your entire being, why would you want anything else.
