Jeremiah 23:9-10 – “Here is what the LORD says concerning the false prophets: My heart and My mind are deeply disturbed…”

The Question: “What would it take for God to say that?  What would it take for God to be disturbed?  Are we as disturbed as God and Jeremiah over the conditions of today?  Does it keep us awake at night, weeping over the lost?  

He continues, “I am like a drunk person, like a person who has had too much wine, because of the way the LORD and His Holy Word are being mistreated.  10 For the land is full of people unfaithful to Him.  They live wicked lives, and they misuse their power.  So, the land is dried up because it is under His curse.  The pastures of the wilderness are withered.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, my heart began to break.   The emotions Jeremiah must have felt welled up inside of me.

In Jeremiah 23, we see the condition of the nation and how Jeremiah’s repeated warnings were being rejected.   The people were consumed with self.    I see that condition today in virtually every sector of society.  False prophets and false doctrines that deny judgment and holiness are becoming more prevalent.  Words, dreams, and visions that promote personal preference are abundant.  God’s abundant grace is being turned into a license to live for self.

When the church becomes like the world, evil prevails.  Darkness becomes the only light people see.  Hope becomes a distant fantasy, and self-preservation becomes the driving motivation behind people’s motives.

Today, believers everywhere are lamenting the conditions of the world!   Many churches have modified their message, trying to be like the world so as not to offend them and hopefully attract followers.   We want God to move, but often forget what is required to have it.   It is not friendship with the world, gimmicks, or focusing on self; it is Jesus.   It is total commitment to Him.  It is abandoning sin and pursuing God.   It is abiding in Jesus and His Word abiding in us.

God’s power will not consistently flow outside an environment of purity of heart.   If Hebrews 13:8 is true, Jesus is the same today as He was and will be.    If He’s the same, He still does what He did and still requires what He required.

In Acts 3, the healing of the lame man reveals a glaring deficiency today.   Peter’s faith in the promises and provisions of God’s Word became a catalyst for healing and redemption.  The miracle served as the catalyst for the message, resulting in the salvation of 5,000 souls.

I’m not following two themes, but I’m saying that the stream of self-centeredness plugs the pipeline of God’s miracles and robs people of the blessing of Salvation.  Are we more aware of and concerned about what we want and need than the lostness of our world?  Do we see the condition and remain unaffected by it, making the pursuit of our interests our paramount concern?

Our world has abandoned God’s Word and elevated self to the throne of life.  We can see revival if we are willing to truly make self secondary to God.

God’s power, working through pure hearts, will provide a platform to introduce Jesus to the lost.   Eternity is far more important than the present.   Yet, the now holds more sway over our hearts than Eternity.    No wonder the prophet was reeling in despair over what he saw.

Today’s world and lackadaisical living (including any complacency in me) torment me.   I weep, knowing the damage and danger.   God, help me to die to myself and surrender 100% of my heart to You.   Cause me to be consumed with Your purposes and incessantly intercede for the lost.  Eternity is eternal.   How can the temporal have such a hold on us that we willingly live for now and lose sight of the eternal?

Revival is flowing, and all hungry hearts will swim in that river.   When self is king, God cannot reign.   I’m Yours, LORD, use me to change my world.   May God use you to make a powerful impact on your world.  You are a weapon in His hands!

LORD, help us shift our focus from Self to Son and receive the Healing that Comes!