Click above to watch video.
OR
Click below to play audio and read along.
Good weekend to you my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
An important part of parenting is watching to see if our children are learning important life lessons, we are trying to teach them and often discipline is part of that process, in every culture of the world, isn’t it? Parenting is preparing kids for effective, God honoring living in adulthood, right? Have you noticed both in parenting and society God is watching to see if we, humanity, are learning to live our lives wisely and are our leaders learning to lead wisely?
Right now, the world is watching the leadership transition in America and watching closely the decisions and actions of an outgoing leadership administration while watching with even more interest the plans and preparations of an incoming very different leadership group. These are fascinating days with huge ramifications being felt all around the world. And what do you think God is seeing as He watches our world this first weekend of 2025?
Amazingly, the Word of God, the Bible, speaks clearly and powerfully to times such as these. The Bible book of Proverbs is very relevant to our day. Listen to these wise words:
“The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” (Prov. 11:3)
“The way of the fool seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.” (Prov. 12:15)
“Whoever fears the LORD walks uprightly, but those who despise the LORD are devious in their ways.” (Prov. 14:2)
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Prov. 1:7)
2600 years ago, God was speaking through His prophet Jeremiah to the people living in Jerusalem who faced times very similar to ours today. Leadership was failing the people morally and ethically while all around the world saber rattling was raising fear that very dangerous days were ahead. Today God wants to challenge us with powerful words He spoke to Jeremiah which give us God’s perspective of both then and now: “To whom can I speak and give warning? (God says) Who will listen to Me? Their ears are closed so they cannot hear. The word of the LORD God is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it.” (Jeremiah 6:10)
In Jeremiah’s day, leaders refused God’s perspective! Look around your city, your nation, my friends. Is God saying that over your part of the world and mine today? Who are those in your city who have ears open to God and who are those who find God’s word offensive and they want God removed from every aspect of their society? What should Holy God do in response? Are you among those to whom God can speak in ’25? Will we listen for God’s voice, and will we obediently follow God’s leading in these precarious times?
Are the prominent, popular voices of our time, especially Hollywood, politicians and the media, ignoring reality and claiming all is well? Listen to what God said next to Jeremiah about that: “From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit. They dress the wounds of My people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace’, they say, when there is no peace. Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct? No! They have no shame at all…” (Jer. 6:13-15)
Is that a fair and accurate description of the influential voices of our day, even many religious voices? Are they pretending all is well when in fact wickedness spreads like a terminal cancer destroying families; addicting millions of young people to self-destruction; ignoring millions of homeless people who have given up on society? Are modern influencers embracing detestable behavior as normal while claiming it’s progressive and leading to a utopian future?
God’s next words to Jeremiah should shake us awake from our slumber and call us to action especially if we are going to be used by God to bring God’s HOPE and HELP into our precarious world in 2025: “This is what the LORD says: Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Jeremiah 6:16)
Will you and I be among those who can look back and find tried and true wisdom from the past? Do we know God’s wisdom well enough and are we hearing fresh guidance from the Holy Spirit so we can bring God’s wisdom to our confused world today? Sadly, Jeremiah continued with these words from God: “But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.'” How will we respond when family or friends or influential voices refuse the wisdom of God which we offer?
But God has more yet to say through Jeremiah: “I appointed watchmen over you and said, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But you said, ‘We will NOT listen!’.” (Jer. 6:17) Oh my, is that our world my friends? Has God raised up wise voices and are they warning, but the influencers are refusing to listen? That was happening in Jerusalem 2600 years ago and precarious times were about to bring disaster! God spoke these hard to hear words through Jeremiah: “Therefore hear, you nations; you who are witnesses, observe what will happen to them. Hear, you earth, I am bringing disaster on this people, the fruit of their schemes, because they have not listened to My words and have rejected My law.” (Jer. 6:18,19)
Yes, as God’s warnings fell on deaf ears the record tells us God removed His hand of protection around Jerusalem and very powerful enemies invaded and ravaged Jerusalem, not once but four times between 609bc & 586bc. Finally, in 586bc, King Nebuchadnezzar demolished Jerusalem, broke down the city walls, burned the great Jewish temple of God to the ground and for thousands of Jerusalem Jews, who refused to hear God’s warning, they were either killed or dragged off to Babylon as captives and slaves. (2 Kings 25)
Now I don’t know what 2025 will bring all around our world but I see plenty of flash points where our world could erupt and thus, I’m deeply committed to hearing God’s warnings, immersing myself in God’s Word to discern His wisdom for our day, and listening carefully to the Holy Spirit of God speaking God’s truth to me each day.
What about you, my friends? And I’m determined to try and help you, every day in 2025, as we look closely into God’s Word together. Today, Jeremiah chapter 6 has spoken very important wisdom, have you heard it? Do you embrace it? What will you do with it?
I invite you to worship with this song I’ve found which calls us to decisions based on God’s words and warnings in Jeremiah 6…
Today’s Scripture: Jeremiah 6.
Choose below to read or listen.
 |  |
Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
Archived back issues of “Walking with Jesus” and other resources are available by clicking here to open our ‘home page’ (or go to HOME at upper right of this page).
Share with friends. Subscribe below for daily “Walking with Jesus”.