Memorise:
Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee saith the Lord.
Read : Jeremiah 1:4-10
4 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
7 But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.
9 Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
10 See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.
Message
There are different ways by which God can send His word to His people. The Word Of the Lord came unto Jeremiah telling him to fear not the faces of the people He was sending him to bless the message He has given him would not be pleasant message for them. Same was the account of Jonah when he was given a message to the people of Nineveh. The message of God to his children is always in various form. It contains doctrine, reproof,correction and instruction on righteousness ( 2 Timothy 3:16 ). It is always difficult for man to be confronted with his errors and wicked ways, and this was the assignment that God gave prophet Jeremiah.
How I wish there are many prophet Jeremiahs in our land, there would be more revival in our land. Prophets like Jeremiah who will call a spade a spade and not water down the Word of God because of the faces of the people. You cannot entangle yourself with the affairs of this world and still deliver the message of God without bias. There are many men of God who are afraid of the people God is sending them to. The God we serve has not given us the spirit of fear but of boldness and soundness of mind. You have to be fearless in preaching the Word of God. You must be instant in season and out of season.
We live in a time when people do not listen to absolute truth of Gods Word. People are very selective about the kind of messages they listen to. Do you receive the Word with gladness each time the Word points you to the cross? 2 Timothy 4:3 says : For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; God wanted Jeremiah to warn the people about the punishment to come if they would not repent from their ways of wickedness. God told Jeremiah to inform those who were proud and wicked, that the rod of affliction was coming on them.
The essence of this message to the people was for them to purge themselves from unrighteousness. Each time the Word of God comes to you, it is an opportunity to amend your ways before it is too late. God wants you to be a vessel unto honour, sanctified and meet for His use so that you can be prepared for every good work. Whatever assignment God has given to you,do not be afraid. You will meet oppositions and enemies but you can be sure God is by your side. They may look big, but they are not bigger than the One who sent you. God will always deliver you out of the hand of persecutors. He will not only stand by you as you deliver the Word, He will deliver you from every trouble in the course of the assignment. When God sends you a message, He also backs you with His power. They may not like your face, but you can be sure that once you have declared the counsel of God to them, at the point of judgement; you will not be responsible for their blood. He that covereth his sins shall not proposer: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
Another factor that can earn you mercy in the place or judgment is your Love for God. This love you have for God will prevent you from continuing in sin against Him. Exodus 20:5-6 says : for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Our Lord Jesus Christ corroborates what His Father says in the scripture above when He demands love and practical demonstration of it from his followers. He said in John 14:21: He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall love my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Beloved, if indeed, you prefer mercy to judgement, you will choose to love God. To love God requires keeping his commandments.
Finally, if you want mercy in the place of judgment, you need to humble yourself before God, acknowledging the fact that you are nothing without Him.
Key Point :
If God be for you who can be against you?
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Exodus 6:14-8:32 and Psalms 110-111
AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE
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