October 3
Jer 1:1-2:30 | PS 75:1-10 | Prov 24:17-20 | Phil 4:1-23
The other day I spoke to a Jewish patient of mine about Jesus Christ. She, unfortunately, lost her brother, who she stated became born again, giving his life to Jesus, later in life. I began to speak to her about Jesus, and she politely said, I should leave this topic alone. I politely responded by stating if I knew the only exit out of a burning building and failed to tell her about that exit, how unloving would my actions be. I began, but told her if at any moment she wanted me to stop, I would respect her wishes. We had a nice long conversation about how "The Way" as the early church was called, arose from the Jewish people, not the Gentiles, as Jesus came initially for the Jewish people. We had a nice conversation and at the end she agreed to read Isaiah 53 on her own. Interestingly, 20 years ago, though a Christian, I would never have embarked or pursued this conversation. It's not that I didn't care, it was that I was intimidated and concerned that I would either not have the right words or offend the individual. What changed? Though God called me, just as He has called all of you, I rejected this calling for a multitude of reasons: fear, concern about my practice, life in general. During a message by evangelist, Mark Cahill, he issued a challenge to provide the gospel message to one person that week. I did, and my life was never the same, as my profession as a physician was transformed into a ministry to share the gospel message to as many as God would show me.
We read in Jeremiah 1:4-5, "Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”" It wasn't that one day Jeremiah decided to be a prophet. He was called to be one, before he was even formed in the womb. Understandably, he was concerned about the reality of this calling, as he states in 1:6, "Then said I: “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.”" Look at the marching orders and encouragement Jeremiah is given in 1:17-19, "“Therefore prepare yourself and arise, And speak to them all that I command you. Do not be dismayed before their faces, Lest I dismay you before them. For behold, I have made you this day A fortified city and an iron pillar, And bronze walls against the whole land— Against the kings of Judah, Against its princes, Against its priests, And against the people of the land. They will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you,” says the Lord, “to deliver you.”" With this, Jeremiah moved forward in a forty year, very unpopular ministry, speaking forth God's truth to a people who did not want to hear what he was saying.
We find ourselves living in very similar times to Jeremiah. The nation of Judah was seeped in sin, and judgment was on the horizon, as they were soon to be carried away into captivity in Babylon. Jeremiah did not withhold God's truths in order to spare the people or protect himself. How about us? God has a work for each of us to accomplish for His glory, not ours. Are we going to heed the call? We read in Philippians 1:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." and John 15:5, when Jesus said, "... without Me you can do nothing." Apart from Jesus we are and can do nothing, but in Him, the only limits we place are generally because of our own fears. We read in Proverbs 1:7, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,", and Proverbs 8:13, "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;". We know that the fear of the Lord is not being afraid of Him, but holding Him in absolute awe, fearing our disappointing Him. If you have repented and accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you have been called, plain and simple. What are you doing with that calling? We have all received certain gifts, and we have all been given the same marching orders from Jesus, Himself, in the Great Commission, in Matthew 28:18-20. Our free will often results in our following our own desires, and in the process losing our way and God's purpose for our lives. May we get our focus onto God, and His personal calling on our lives. Now is the time!
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: