Pastor Bob DuPar
October 11, 2008

Journal Entry



Scripture

Jeremiah 16:16-18:23; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-5:3; Psalm 81:1-16; Proverbs 25:6-7

Observation

Jeremiah 17:7-8 sounds a lot like Psalm 1,

“But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.”
Jeremiah 17:9-10

“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; …For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.”
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, 7-8

“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18


Application

Jeremiah 17:9-10 is a reminder that we can’t always trust our heart even though the world often says, “Just follow your heart!” All too often our heart cries out for things that are against God’s will.

Paul recommends living a quiet life, minding our own business, and working hard with our hands so that we are not a burden to others or overly dependent; and, so that we will be a strong witness to outsiders (unbelievers). Unfortunately, I know many Christians who are exactly the opposite: loud, in everyone else’s business, and always looking for someone else to pick up the tab. Paul identifies these factors as either assets or liabilities for sharing our faith.

Prayer

“Lord, create in me a clean heart and renew a right Spirit within me.”