"To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen to me? Their ears are closed so they cannot hear. The word of the LORD is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it."
Jeremiah 6:10 (NIV)
The word of the LORD is offensive to them!
I wonder if you ever examine your thoughts as you read the Word. Are you able to identify what your innermost thoughts are when you read a passage? I have actually caught myself mid-thought as I read a text when my thoughts were unpleasant; I think, “Well I don’t agree with that!” or “That’s crazy, that’s can’t be true.” WOAH Baby - STOP the train! If you catch yourself thinking thoughts like that while reading Scripture, STOP right there. Pray and ask God to open your eyes, your mind and your heart that you might see, understand and find rest.
God’s Words are Life, and the whole Bible is truth for me and you. Our sin nature and the demons all whisper to us that God’s Words are wrong, and if we accept their lies we become the people that Jeremiah 6 is describing. I heard a preacher say one time that “you can’t stop the birds flying over your head, but you can stop them from building a nest in your hair!” Don’t get upset when you have evil thoughts about God’s Word as you read it, just deal with those thoughts. Don’t let them get a foothold and don’t let them lead you into death.
This text in Jeremiah accurately describes the issue with the leaders that refused to listen to John the Baptist and Jesus. Two completely different men, two different teaching styles, with two different lifestyles, and yet they had the same message: REPENT. But the leaders refused to listen; the Words of God were offensive to them. Oh friend, may we run as far away from their attitude as we can.
A dear older lady whom I love and respect, used to say to me, “Well that is just Paul’s opinion. I listen to Jesus.” Paul is different than Jesus; two different men, two different teaching styles, two different life styles, and yet God’s Word is God’s Word!
Will we listen to the LORD through His prophets, His Messiah and His apostles or will we find the LORD’s Words offensive?
No comments:
Post a Comment