Jeremiah refutes the popular, modern notion that the end of religion is an integrated personality, freed of its fears, its doubts, and its frustrations. Certainly Jeremiah was no
integrated personality. It is doubtful if...he ever knew the meaning of the word "peace". We have no evidence that his internal struggle was ever ended, although the passing years no doubt brought an increasing acceptance of destiny. Jeremiah, if his "confessions" are any index, needed a course in pastoral psychiatry in the very worst way... The feeling cannot be escaped that if Jeremiah had been integrated, it would have been at the cost of ceasing to be Jeremiah! A man at peace simply could not be a Jeremiah. Spiritual health is good; mental assurance is good; but the summons of faith is neither to an integrated personality nor to the laying-by of all questions, but to the dedication of
personality - with all its fears and questions - to its duty and destiny under God.

... John Bright, The Kingdom of God [1955]

_______________________________________________________________

Meditation:
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised; Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the
wilderness: for all these nations are
uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.

-- Jeremiah 9:25,26 (KJV)

For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

-- Romans 2:28,29 (KJV)

http://www.cqod.org/

_________________
Mike Balog

I believe that when people talk about words like peace, liberty, freedom from doubts and frustrations, they talk about what other people talk about. I believe many try to imagine the things Scripture talks about. A grand chorus erupts. But as John Bright's thoughts on Jeremiah point out, 'but the summons of faith is neither to an integrated personality nor to the laying-by of all questions, but to the dedication ofpersonality - with all its fears and questions - to its duty and destiny under God." Faith will cause you to strive with man as the Holy Spirit strives with man. Life is full of frustations. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!" Luke 13:34

We war not with flesh and blood but with powers and principalities...

In Christ
Jeff

_________________
Jeff Marshalek

Brothers Mike & Jeff,

Our Lord just took me thru Jeremiah again for now what seems like the umpteenth time but this time i saw it from another perspective ... As i went thru my focus wasn't on my usual empathy (me) with the suffering of the prophet, but on the abject lostness (if that's a word) of (them) those folk that Jeremiah had to minister to who just didn't seem to "get it" and it brings great sadness to my heart (which is what Christ is feeling now) when i think of this in context of today ...

There are so many of God's people who just don't seem to "get it" tho He strives with them via Jeremiah's daily, often even dramatically, and then when the actual befalling of God's judgment finally arrives instead of bowing their knees in reactive repentant submission, it causes them to sin even greater by fleeing back into Egypt (the world), which brings about their almost sure fire destruction ...

Holy Spirit has taught me much out of Jeremiah, and then in my questioning as to why Jeremiah chose to stay with such hard heads when he was given the chance to leave Holy Spirit brought your thread back to my memory where you posted this quote;

"A man at peace simply could not be a Jeremiah. Spiritual health is good; mental assurance is good; but the summons of faith is neither to an integrated personality nor to the laying-by of all questions, but to the dedication of personality - with all its fears and questions - to its duty and destiny under God"

Then brother Jeff posted this;
"Faith will cause you to strive with man as the Holy Spirit strives with man" ...

That it most certainly does ... It was "faith" that empowered Jeremiah to over coming all opposition within himself to his performing and completing his duty and destiny in God ... It's that same "faith" in spite of ourselves that drives us all forward to what we sense to be our own duty and destiny in God ... Thank God for "faith" and for His grace (His ability) to our accomplishing all that He knows we can do! ...

Thank you Lord God, in Jesus precious name, for Your faith in us "individually" and "collectively", no matter how bad we/things may look to us right now ... Amen

Thanks Rahman,

Strange, I hardly recall this post at all, it's like looking at it for the first time.

_________________
Mike Balog

Brother Mike you wrote;
"Strange, I hardly recall this post at all, it's like looking at it for the first time. It's quite a quote after all isn't it?... "to its duty" regardless".


Amen, but bless God Holy Spirit recalls it all! ...

Over a month ago God used brother Jimm to tell me to read Jeremiah again ... i procrastinated until this week because frankly i didn't want to go thru Jeremiah again but bless God "faith" prevailed, all to make me understand why thru all my objections (and especially those of others) i wound/wind up doing what i believe i hear Him saying for me to do ... DUTY! ... That's so powerful, "duty" to an invisible God that one can only experience/hear/see by faith first in the shed blood of the Lamb, after which one becomes wide open to whatever degree of service He has in purpose for you ... It certainly explains that gnawing sensation that i still have of not fully having come to His ultimate purpose of my life for Him ... He's already told me that one season is past, and thru a "word" gave me the same freedom as Jeremiah whether to "stay or go" from where He had me ... Being an adventurer in the "Spirit" i chose "go", so on to my next much anticipated "season" with Him! ...

By faith we've come this far brother Mike and by faith we'll go on the rest of the way ... Amen


PS - On my way home last night Holy Spirit kept repeating that the recall of this post was for a "now blessing" to the both of us ... i got mine, hope you got/get yours for it's in this thread!

Brother Rahman wrote:

_________________
Jeff Marshalek

My God brother Jeff,

When i first posted to brother Mike this;
"PS - On my way home last night Holy Spirit kept repeating that the recall of this post was for a "now blessing" to the both of us ... i got mine, hope you got/get yours for it's in this thread"!

i'd first wrote; "PS - On my way home last night Holy Spirit kept repeating that the recall of this post was for a "now blessing" to the "three" of us ... i got mine, hope you got/get yours for it's in this thread"!

i wrote that because (i) wanted to include you but Holy Spirit reminded me that He said the former and not the latter and now with your post i see why, You're getting it first hand ... He's talking that "now blessing" to us thru you! ... Please pour on us every drop that you hear! ...

Brother Mike hold the presses man, looks like i've been presumptuous twice (forgive me Lord), according to brother Jeff's post i'm still in the "getting" stage of this ... As always God will tell me when it's a "got" ...

Brother Jeff you posted;
"Whether it is Jeremiah, Paul, Peter, or Ezekiel, their lives begin to reflect THE ROCK. THE ROCK can not be moved. The foundation is being layed. The faith is being refined. This faith is becoming more precious than gold or silver. Because of this faith, our "LIFE" becomes a stone".

Whoa! ... what a revelation "This faith is becoming more precious than gold or silver" ... That's exactly what has happened to me, that's why i tell folk quickly that i'm married to Christ and don't even want to take the chance again of the cost (being concerned with the things of the world) of a eartly spouse ... This IS God talking to the three of us, and to anyone else where what's posted on this thread makes a light bulb switch on in their being when they read it ... i've read this like so ...

"Whether it is Mike, Jeff, Rahman or (whomever else) their lives begin to reflect THE ROCK. THE ROCK can not be moved. The foundation is being layed. The faith is being refined. This faith is becoming more precious than gold or silver. Because of this faith, our "LIFE" becomes a stone"

This fills me up with the Holy Ghost and brings those hot tears to my eyes ... i hear God saying to and glimpsing to me/you what He's seen in me/you all along ... Amazing that the King of Kings would have such faith in the likes of me and you that we'd persevere past ourselves out of our since of duty and destiny in Him ... Just amazing! ...
:knockedout:

Br. Rahman wrote:

_________________
Jeff Marshalek

Br. Jeff you wrote;
"These things of what you speak are available to all"


Amen ... that's why i said, "Whether it is Mike, Jeff, Rahman or (whomever else)", to show that i know it's not only for me but whosoever will ... But that's the rubicon, "whosoever will", and so i speak for myself, and dare to for the likes of those i hear Him voicing thru ... You yourself know that you'll not get much discussion on Jeremiah, and next to none on Ezekiel ...
:-(


You continued:
"Do you see where the source of our hope is created. It comes from the word of God. We continually struggle with His word. We labor for the message that He is giving us unction to pursue. As we walk with Him this message becomes clearer because He illuminates it in our minds. We are given understanding that comes not of ourselves. We know it is true because we know that when the glimer of truth is realized by us, we also realize how it did not come from our carnal mind".


As i like to speak out to a preacher when he illuminates ... "MAKE IT PLAIN DOC"!!! ... Man you're preachin! ... :-P ... Thank God for His Word, His general commision, and His special calling if one is so blessed of Him with such an extended honor of His own trust and faith in mere mortal men to the advancement of His kingdom, and most of all thank God that He strives with us yet by His most wonderful, loving, patient and kind Holy Spirit, who had it not been for Him this man could have been relegated to spiritual failure a long time ago ... There are two things that's currently blowing my mind ...

#1 - That God would have such trust and faith in someone as unworthy, wretched and to my own mind as unreliable as myself ... In all His mercy to me i've been so horrible in my actions and reactions to Him but He just kept on, and keeps on dealing with me ... Man He really broke me tho when He ministered His comparisson of Jacob with me, that's when i really saw myself for the self centered, self motivated person i was, and still am, but no where near as what i was, and i praise Him for my crippling ... Man, now i'm ranting! ... Forgive me, but His goodness to me just rushes in like a flood these days ...

#2 - What you said about "we also realize how it did not come from our carnal mind" ... Now this is a sure confirmation because it has been weighing heavily on me that thre is no way that the things i hear
God saying to me are from my own mind, for if it was left up to me i'd be just as oblivious as so many others in my area of assignment ...


You continued;
"A. W. Tozer in that sermon that I posted says that for some like his sister God gave visions. To he himself, God revealed Himself to him through the word of God. This has been my experience with my Lord. This is the only means by which I can exhort others to press on.


Amen ... You can't go wrong with His revealing Himself thru His Word, as i believe so much error stems from not knowing it ... How can one know the mind of God if one doesn't know the Word of God ... And can one know if one doesn't study for that's the only way Holy Spirit can school and reveal the mysteries of God ...

Brother Jeff if that's a rant then i pray God you keep on ranting ... This is what i hear;

[b]Believe[/b] - that you will find Him in His word.

[b]Read[/b] - the Scriptures as if you are seeking a treasure.

[b]Do Not Deny[/b] - the word of God and what He is trying to reveal to you.

[b]Submit[/b] - to Him through His word, He is faithful to give you Himself through His faith.


Brother Jeff i'm in such a "filled" period/state that just can't be conveyed across this medium but in so many things i just feel, and see, brand new like this scripture that i've heard a thousand times and it just now is really speaking to me ...

"But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? ... Matt. 21:28-31

i've been that first Son and have beat myself up about it pretty good over the years, have even allowed satan to take a few pot shots at me about my procrastinations ... But just look at what God says ... "But you "repented" and went" ... That's what mattered to Him ... Amazing grace!

Jeremiah certainly went through alot being put in a prison which was a stinky sewer and having to give up all hopes of family, seeing his whole nation desroyed, seeing friends and close friends raped and murdered. Going in the stocks. He was also son of A prophet who rediscovered the word of god in the temple in josiahs day.
He had a generally painfull life hope he gets well rewarded in heaven he went not only against the king but against the other prophets what a man !!!

_________________
Dominic Shiells