Jeremiah 45-47 Specific Messages God Sent

God gave Jeremiah a message about Baruch, Jeremiah's faithful secretary.  "Baruch had chosen to identify with Jeremiah and do the will of God ... Not everybody is called to be a prophet or apostle, but all of us can do the will of God by helping others do their work," my commentary said.  "Baruch was willing to stay in the background and serve God by serving Jeremiah."

Starting in Chapter 46, Jeremiah delivered God's messages to the nations associated with Israel.  Egypt got to hear that they would face battle against Babylon, and that its wounds were incurable.  Philistia would face a similar Babylonian invasion so terrible that parents would flee for their lives and leave their children behind, my commentary mentioned.

My commentary also featured a postlude on Jeremiah himself, with several important lessons that I needed to hear right now.  I'm glad I skipped ahead and started reading:

     First, in difficult days, we need to hear and heed the Word of God.

     Second, true prophets of God are usually persecuted.

     Third, True patriotism isn't blind to sin, but seeks to deal with those sins compassionately and realistically.    The nation that doesn't deal with sin is wasting time and resources trying to solve national problems. which are only symptoms of the deeper problem, which is sin.

     Fourth, God's servants occasionally have their doubts and failings.

     Fifth, The important thing isn't success:  it's faithfulness.

     Sixth, The greatest reward of ministry is to become like Christ.

     Seventh, God is King, and the nations of the world are under His sovereign control.  Nothing catches God by surprise.

Father, I know these things, but sometimes in the heat of battle, I forget them.  Help me to remember that You never lose -- that You are all-powerful and sovereign, despite how I might be feeling in the circumstances of life.

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford