Sunday Morning - July 25th, 2004
Let us pray
Welcome...
We were blessed last Sunday as Rev. Ron Schuckert shared the Word of God with us....
As Christians this morning we all should have a testimony to share of what God has done
for us. It is very easy to talk about what God did for you 20 or 30 years ago, but what has
God done for you lately? What is God doing for you right now? I believe I have a
testimony to share. You might say that is not much to share, but it is my testimony of what
God has done for me.
On July 12th, I attended the funeral service in Cleveland, Ohio, of a dear friend of mine
who went home to be with the Lord. On my way to the service that morning I had planned
to stop and get some gas, but we were running late, and so I decided to wait, After the
service.....(relate story.)
There are many today who are in the Christian race, everything appears to be alright but
they are running on empty, and they need a fill-up. On the highway I was traveling with a
group, I could apply my brakes, I could toot my horn, I could turn my headlights off and
on, everything appeared normal, but I was running on empty. There are many today who
are coming to the house of God, everything appears to be alright; they know how to clap
their hands, they know how to stomp their feet, they know how to say amen at the right
time, but their is an emptiness on the inside that needs to be filled. Today you are at the
filling station, and you do not have to leave here empty, because you can be filled
up....elaborate......
Our theme this year is "Glorifying God," and our key verse is taken from Matthew 5
verse 16, which says, Let your light so shine before men..............Each week we have a
verse to memorize, and our verse for this week is taken from Romans 12 verse 2 and is
found on page 6 of your bulletin. Let’s say that verse together, And be not conformed to
this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove
what is that good, and perfect will of God." ...
Please turn with me in your bibles to Jeremiah 20 verses 7 through 13. Let’s all stand and read together. Please tell someone, It is not wise to play
with fire. My topic for today is, Fire in my bones.
Jeremiah was ordained by God to be a prophet while he was in the womb, and he was called to be a messenger of God. In Jeremiah 1 verses 5 trough 8 we read these words (read).......... This man who was called by God; this man who was ordained by God; this
man who was commissioned by God; somehow changed his tune in Jeremiah chapter 20. There was a man called Pashur, who was the chief officer of the temple, he heard Jeremiah’s preaching, and so he beat him and put hin in the stocks overnight. Jeremiah
had been in serious trouble before, but this event is his first recorded physical suffering. I
want someone to know today, if you are God’s child there will be some suffering along the
way.........elaborate.....if you are God’s child there is no easy sailing in the Christian life....
Jeremiah had been led to undertake the prophetic mission with assurances of success and
victory, and he was surprised when he was met only with contempt and apparent failure.
Let’s turn to Jeremaih 1 verses 17 through 19 (read) So many have enetered the service
of the Lord with much confidence in the joy, but little anticipation of the trouble it would
bring. Like superman they had in mind to do great exploits, but never thought of having a
dull moment. They are going to leap high walls, fly over the land, and do everything in a
single bounce....
Are you surprised of what God is taking you through on this Christian journey? Are you
angry with God for what you are going through? Do you sometimes feel that God has
deceived you and you want to go on a spiritual strike? I wont worship with the saints
anymore, because they are not what I thought them to be. All those folks are hypocrites
and so I will just stay home and watch Bishop T, beacuse he seems to be alright.
Jeremiah the prophet of God; the one who God had ordained and commissioned to preach
God’s Word, in verse 7 of our text starts to complain (read verse 7) Here Jeremiah complains that God has deceived him. The God who can’t lie, Jeremiah says has deceived him. The God who can’t make a mistake, Jeremiah says has deceived him. The God who is
perfect in all his ways, Jeremiah says has deceived him. That word deceive means, to mislead, to persuade oneself to believe something that is not true, to make someone believe what is false...
Jeremiah was saying that he was trying to be God’s spokesman, but this has won him only derision. He has answered God’s call, but now he is the laughing-stock. What do you do when you are trying to do the right thing, and people are making fun at you? What do you do when you are serving God the best you know how, and church folks tell you, you don’t
have to do all that? Do you please God, or do you try to please folks? Saints of God don’t let folks drive you crazy. It seems there are folks who have the gift of driving people crazy. They know how to use their gift. They are experts at using their gift.
Jeremiah God’s prophet had reached a stage in his life when he felt down. To him, he was deceived by God, and now he is the laughing stock of those around him. In verse 8 of our text, Jeremiah’s consistent message had been that God will punish the peoiple unless they repent. Guess what, the people have not repented, God has not punished them in the way
Jeremiah predicted, and so Jeremiah is made the laughing-stock by the people.
If you feel God has deceived you; if you feel you are the laughing-stock of those around
you, what would you do? Look what Jeremiah said in the first portion of verse 9, I will
not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name.. Jeremiah had stretched out his hand, but the people to whom he was sent refused; he had called, but they would not answer. Jeremiah had become weary, he was at the point of exhaustion, and it was at
this point in his life when he said he would speak no more in the Name of the Lord. God’s prophet decided he was going to be silent; he was going to keep quiet; he would not say anything about the Lord. God’s servant determnes to be silent, but silence brings no peace. When you have a testimony to share, and you try to keep quiet there will be no peace.
How can you be silent and not tell what God has done for you? How can you keep still when God has given you his word to proclaim. Can you see Jeremiah walking around and talking to himself, God has deceived me, the people are laughing at me, and I will not say anything about the Lord. Jeremiah had truth on the inside, and you can’t hold truth down,
no matter how hard you try.........elaborate...
Sometimes in the Christian life we become weary, and may reach the point of wanting to give up, but don’t you give up. Elijah had just experienced the power of God there on Mount Carmel. He had a great mountain top experinece, but shortly after he felt weary
and hopeless because Jezebel was planning to slay him. In 1 Kings 19 verse 4 we read these words, But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and
said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. God’s man was on the run, he had become weary, and wanted to die.......elaborate....
As Jeremiah walked around with the truth, something started to move on the inside. He
felt a burning sensation on the inside, his soul was on fire, and so he declares in the latter
part of verse 9, But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my
bones, and I could not stay.
It seems Jeremiah’s soul was on fire. He had a testimony to share, he had a word from the
Lord, and now he can’t keep still. Have you ever felt a burning desire to tell what God has
done for you? God has been so good to you, and you just can’t keep it to yourself.. Has
God been good to you? We all should be thanking God for what God has done, and is
still doing........elaborate......
Daniel S. Warner in his song "Fire in the Soul," which we don’t sing too much any more,
wrote these words, Yes, ’tis love, ’tis burning love divine, Filling all my soul’s desire;
O how sweet its glories ever shine! Now I feel the glowing fire.
When you become weary, and sometimes you will, don’t forget Jeremiah; even though he
said he would not speak nor mention God’s name any more, he could not do it, because
there was something on the inside compelling him to go on. When you feel God has
forsaken you, when you feel God don’t care, when you feel you have been deceived, don’t
forget Jeremiah, and just go on. When you feel you are the laughing stock of those around
you, when it seems you are the talk of the town, don’t forget Jeremiah, and just go on.
In verse 10 of our text we find Jeremiah’s friends are whispering against him, waiting for
an opportunity to destroy him. Sometimes your friends might turn against you; sometimes
they might speak evil things about you, but if God is with you, everything will be alright.
Your friends might pat you on the back, they might laugh with you, but still might be
against you, but if God is with you, everything will be alright. Bro. Job had gone through
his share of suffering, and I can hear Bro. Job saying in Job 13 verse 15, Though he slay
me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
In verse 11 of our text Jeremiah’s prayer is answered by a renewed confidence that God is
with him, therefore he will overcome. (read verse 11) Jeremaih said, but the Lord is
with me. It is wonderful to know that God is with us. It does not matter what is
happening all around, as long as you know that God is with you. It does not matter what’s
happening in Washington, we should be concerned, but it is far better to know that God is
with you. It does no matter if stock is going up or going down, as long as you know that
God is with you. If God is with you, then everything will be alright. If God is with you
your persecutors shall stumble and they shall not prevail. If God is with you your
persecutors shall be greatly ashamed, for they shall not prosper. If God is with you your
persecutors everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten. In Psalm 27 verse 2 we read
these words, When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat
up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
In verse 12 of our text, Jeremiah appeals to God as a righteous judge, and prays judgment
upon his cause. He looks to God as the one who tries the righteous and the unrighteous
too, and that God is very qualified to do both. You see saints of God, God sees what’s
happening on the inside, he knows the very intent of the heart, and we cannot hide from
God. When we are oppressed and burdened down, when we have been wronged by
others, we don"t have to fight back, but we can bring all our burdens to the Lord, and he
will take care. Let’s not forget that vengeance belongs to God, and we don’t have to take
matters into our own hands.....elaborate...
The prophet who had said he would no longer speak in the name of the Lord, the prophet
who had said he would remain silent, in verse 13 of our text is now rejoicing in the Lord.
(read verse 13) Something wonderful has happened to the prophet Jeremiah, the clouds
are blown over, his complaints are now silenced, and he is now taking the time to praise
the Lord.
Saints of God, when your friends have turned their backs on you, just take the time to
praise the Lord. When you have been mocked and jeered by those whom you thought had
cared about you, just take the time to parise the Lord. When in your mind you might
think God has deceived you, and you feel like complaining to God, just take the time to
praise the Lord. When that son or daughter is driving you crazy, just take the time to
praise the Lord. When you can’t understand what’s happening to your husband or your
wife, just take the time to praise the Lord. When folks in the church just wont treat you
right, just take the time to praise the Lord. As you praise the Lord, as you give thanks
unto the Lord, your deliverance will come.......elaborate...
God is looking for some people who will stop complaining, and who will start to praise
him. God is looking for some people who are willing to testify of his love for them. God is
looking for some people who will not keep silent, but who will speak the word of God in
season and out of season. God is looking for you, it does not matter if you are young or
old. It does not matter if you are rich or poor. The question is, will you answer the call?
elaborate......
Let us stand
Callto discipleship
Closing song/prayer
