“23. But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. 24. But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.”
They say there are only two paths in the Christian walk; either growing, or dying. What category could you put yourself in? Are you growing in the Lord or are you dying in your walk? In this chapter of scripture Jeremiah is trying to warn the house of God about their evil hearts and their worship toward other gods. God always knows the outcome to every situation. He already knows what will happen tomorrow, next week, and next year. In future chapters He will make known to Israel that there will be seventy years of captivity if they don’t turn from their evil ways. From the beginning, God already knew that they would not turn and He would have to chasten Israel for their sin, but He still loves His people so much that He gives them warning after warning to turn from their ways. This is a great reason why God is called long suffering. Going backward in your Christian walk is a dangerous place to be. What sin are you allowing in your life? Its easy to say “I don’t smoke, I don’t drink, I go to church on Sunday, I tithe my money, I don’t skip church to hunt,” though these are good behaviors it important to realize that sin is anything we shouldn’t do or even things we should do. You may ask “things we should do?” James 4:17 “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” One of the most valuable things in our walk with the Lord is having faith, when we don’t have faith we have sin because we are trusting in our own way and not “the way I have commanded you.” There is nothing more important in this world than soul winning. People still die and go to hell without Jesus Christ and there are not enough believers spreading the Word. Its because Christians are dying and trusting in their own evil heart. Its never about us, its always about Jesus. God will be there for you, He will sustain you, but you cant go backward. There is a song that goes ” I’m less than I’ll be tomorrow, but more than yesterday.” Are you growing today? If your not, that must mean your dying! Put your life in God’s hands. He will lead you down His path and not yours! Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Psalm 40:4
“Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.”
