All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, We offend not, because they have sinned against the Lord, the habitation of justice, even the Lord, the hope of their fathers."
~Jeremiah 50:6-7
Who do we listen to? What do we listen to? Do we listen to God, or do we listen to man? Do we compare what man says to what the Bible says? Do we put voices and music in our lives that elevate God and others? Do we allow music into our lives that doesn't glorify God? How often do we let ourselves become desensitized to wrongful music and negative voices? How often are we caught in a store or a coworker's car tapping and humming along to a song? Is it helping or hindering our relationship with God?
Philippians 4:8 says "Finally, bretheren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
I often catch myself wondering, "Is what someone told me of any use to the glorifying of God or helping me help someone else?" Sometimes it's information that someone else might need help but won't ask for it. How many times do we catch ourselves listening to gossip about someone who isn't there to defend themselves though? How many times do we respond to something someone said and not even realize until later that our response wasn't uplifting or helpful, but discouraging and harmful? It's difficult sometimes, and that is why it is always beneficial to surround ourselves with those who look to God for guidance in their life.
In this passage, however, Jesus is talking about how the shepherds have led the sheep astray. These shepherds are the religious leaders of that day. They had been feeding the people lies for many years, telling them that compromising was okay and that God was simply an overbearing being that only had Himself in mind. This however is far from true and God called Jeremiah to remind the people of this. These religious leaders had smudged the people's thinking and turned them more towards the world than the God who loved them so much. The people were not remembering the God who had done great and mighty things for them when the nation was close to Him, but turning towards the idols of the land that only brought grief, sorrow, famine, and death.
These "gods" that the other lands served were full of hate and malice and the stories built around them were to cause the people to fear and pray for mercy, but we have a God who just wants to show us His love and have us obey Him. He is so forgiving when we do so much wrong, and has such great plans for our lives, better than we can only imagine. We have to remember though, just because someone says they are a Christian does not mean that they really are.
The term "Christian" has taken on a looser meaning over the past years than it used to be. To be a Christian is to be "Christ-like", but many people like to use the term as a substitute for being religious. Being religious will only change a life for a little time. Only God can change a life in a radical way. Unless we are saved and have completely given our will and our life to Him, there is no way we can be changed positively in a long term way. We will always sin and be forever fighting, struggling, and often losing against our sins. Life isn't easy, it was never meant to be. We were created to have a relationship with God so that He could supply our every need and even sometimes things we didn't know we needed. It's amazing the things He can do in a person's life when they surrender it to Him.
We need to be surrendered though, completely and utterly. These nations who attacked the nations of Israel and Judah had no remorse and stated that they had not sinned because Israel and Judah had turned their back on God. I can honestly see where they come from because once these 2 nations stepped outside God's will for them and rejected God, they were outside His protection. They stepped into the World's playground and expected everyone to play fair. The spoiled pet rarely gets treated well once the master is not able to protect it though.
We cannot dabble in the things of the world and expect God to protect us from the consequences. God is like the oven mitt we wear when reaching into a hot stove. When we are in His will, He can protect us from the heat, but once we decide we know better and try to go without, we get burned because there is no protection anymore. God loves us, but He also wants us to grow and learn to trust Him. He will place people in our lives who will help us grow and understand His will for us.
God will NEVER tell anyone to go against the Bible or to preach only partial truths. Those who teach only the parts of the Bible they agree with are wrong and lie to those around them. They lead God's people astray when possible and are being used by Satan to keep God's sheep straying to the world and keep them from being useful to God.
Who are you following?
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