Pastor Bob DuPar
October 8, 2008

Journal Entry



Scripture

Jeremiah 10:1-11:23; Colossians 3:18-4:18; Psalm 78:56-72; Proverbs 24:28-29

Observation

I thought that Jeremiah 10:5 was amazing,

“Like a scarecrow in a melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good.”

“I know, O Lord, that a man’s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.” Jeremiah 10:23

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Colossians 4:2

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:5-6

“Epaphras… is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.” Colossians 4:12

“And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.” Psalm 78:72

Application

We would never bow down and worship a scarecrow or consult it for decisions; but, it’s amazing how many worthless, lifeless things of this world we/I turn to for answers and satisfaction.

Jeremiah 10:23 reminds us that it is not for us “to direct our steps.” This reminds me of James 4:13-15,

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.’ Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”

It also brings to mind Proverbs 16:9,

“The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”

I need to conduct myself in wisdom around unbelievers (Greek: literally – “redeeming the time).

I would like to pray for others like Epaphras – literally “agonizing’ in prayer for them. I have a long way to go before my prayer life reaches that level of intensity.

Prayer

“Lord, help me to shepherd people with integrity of heart, and to lead them with skillful hands.”