Spiritual Erosion

“What is the sin that we have committed against the Lord our God?’ then you shall say to them: ‘Because your fathers have forsaken me, declares the Lord, and have gone after other gods and have served and worshiped them, and have forsaken me and have not kept my law, and because you have doneContinue reading “Spiritual Erosion”

Foolish Refusal to Repent

“You shall say to them, Thus says the Lord: When men fall, do they not rise again? If one turns away, does he not return? Why then has this people turned away in perpetual backsliding? They hold fast to deceit; they refuse to return.” (Jeremiah 8:4–5, ESV) In 1973 I attended the United States ArmyContinue reading “Foolish Refusal to Repent”

The Children Cry Out – Part 1

“For the sons of Judah have done evil in my sight, declares the Lord. They have set their detestable things in the house that is called by my name, to defile it. And they have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to burn their sonsContinue reading “The Children Cry Out – Part 1”

Why?

“And when your people say, ‘Why has the Lord our God done all these things to us?’ you shall say to them, ‘As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve foreigners in a land that is not yours.’” (Jeremiah 5:19, ESV) One of the strangest debates wasContinue reading “Why?”

Fallow Ground

“For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: ‘Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the Lord; remove the foreskin of your hearts, O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it,Continue reading “Fallow Ground”

Rock Bottom

“But from our youth the shameful thing has devoured all for which our fathers labored, their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters. Let us lie down in our shame, and let our dishonor cover us. For we have sinned against the Lord our God, we and our fathers, from our youth evenContinue reading “Rock Bottom”

The Open Door

“Only acknowledge your guilt, that you rebelled against the Lord your God and scattered your favors among foreigners under every green tree, and that you have not obeyed my voice, declares the Lord. Return, O faithless children, declares the Lord; for I am your master; I will take you, one from a city and twoContinue reading “The Open Door”

Pretentiousness

“And the Lord said to me, “Faithless Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah.” (Jeremiah 3:11, ESV) I remember once endeavoring to mentor a person in the ministry. I would often sit with this person and give some constructive feedback, both positive and negative. At the end of our sessions together, he wouldContinue reading “Pretentiousness”

Marital Infidelity

“If a man divorces his wife and she goes from him and becomes another man’s wife, will he return to her? Would not that land be greatly polluted? You have played the whore with many lovers; and would you return to me? declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 3:1, ESV) I recently heard of a proposed changeContinue reading “Marital Infidelity”

Self-Inflicted Wounds

“Have you not brought this upon yourself by forsaking the Lord your God, when he led you in the way?” (Jeremiah 2:17, ESV) When I was working at the United States Steel Corporation, I worked as a management trainee in the maintenance department. One day, one of our employees hit his thumb with a hammerContinue reading “Self-Inflicted Wounds”