Stop Praying

This morning I was reading in Jeremiah…One passage was scary. The other challenging. I thought I would share these passages with you.

SCARY

Jeremiah 7:16, “Therefore do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them, nor make intercession to Me; for I will not hear you.” – It scares me to think that there are some in our community, possibly even in our church, that God may consider in this way. It changes the shape of my prayers for our people. Father, please don’t cast away your people. Grant us the gift of repentance, the capacity for forgiveness and the willingness to obey, even if you tell us to stop praying.

CHALLENGING

Jeremiah 9:23–24, “Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the might man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord. – Two challenging thoughts, don’t glory in your stuff, your strength or your smarts. Instead, UNDERSTAND and KNOW GOD. Knowing God is one thing…understanding – that’s a bigger thing all together. It’s challenging to think that God not only wants us to know Him. More than knowing Him or about Him He want us to understand His ways, motives, methods and means.

God Bless,
Chad