Shouting Gods words in the street

JEREMIAH  CHAPTER 2

The Lord gave Jeremiah the message to go and shout in Jerusalem's streets and remind the people of times they loved him and followed him through barren wilderness. In those days, Israel was holy to the Lord, the first of his children and all who harmed his people were considered guilty and disaster fell upon them. And now the Lord wants his people to remember the sins of their ancestors and how worship of idols began. The Lord brought them to a fruitful land to enjoy its goodness yet now they corrupt the inheritance given to them. He compares them to Cyprus whose people remain faithful to useless gods, yet the people of Israel forsake him. Israel has brought all kinds of disaster upon itself by rebelling against the Lord.

God compares the people to animals who search for mates unrestrained. They rush for power, money and alliances with foreign powers and other gods. The people feel shame only when they get caught. But in times of trouble they cry out for God to save them. The people have forgotten him.
So he will punish them. They will flit from one ally to another asking for help, but friends in Egypt will let the people down just as Assyria once did. Finally, in despair the people will be led into exile.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: Baal was the god of fertility that people worshiped. This kind of worship had animal sacrifice and sacred prostitution in high places.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? Being a prophet in ancient times was dangerous. Most were killed for criticizing rulers. Can you visualize Jeremiah shouting these things to the people in the streets of Jerusalem. Notes in my bible say he was not a success with his own people, but was a huge success with God. Which would you want to be? Could you sacrifice your lifestyle to spread the word of God?

God says his people "forgot" him. We do this today. Don't we forget God because we are focused on the guilty pleasures of the world? Sometimes we must just put our own selfish thoughts aside and remember that God is always there for us. He can lead us through the tough times. And his mercy is everlasting!

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:



HEALTH: Pray for Gabe.


Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.


Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer and for her sister Wanda’s soul which went to heaven.


Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with a form of MS.


Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.


Pray for Gary Summers, my friend from church, who has cancer.


Pray for Judy’s husband who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pray for her too, that she can deal with the side effects of his illness.


Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who is undergoing chemo for his prostate cancer. Update on Robert: he has one more treatment and then three months of waiting for his psat test to come back clean.


Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.


SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary


RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John


LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian


SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.