How To Break God’s Heart

How To Break God’s Heart

Jeremiah 2:5

Thus says the LORD:
"What injustice have your fathers found in Me, That they have gone far from Me,
Have followed idols, And have become idolaters?”

   What a bizarre thing for God to ask.  This is asked as a rhetorical question.  A rhetorical question, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is: “a question not intended to elicit an answer but asked for rhetorical effect with an assumption that only one answer is possible.”  As in – “What mother doesn’t love her children?”  Rhetorical is defined as: “A question asked in order to make a statement rather than get an answer.”

   God is asking what injustice, or sin, or wrong has He done to the Jewish people that made them leave worshipping Him and turn to idol worship.  The answer is, of course, God had not wronged the Jewish people and committed no injustice against them.  The failure was all on the part of the people themselves.  They were delivered from slavery but had not even left Egypt before they began grumbling and accusing God of trying to kill them in the wilderness.  Their whole history had been one of complaining and failure to trust God even though He delivered them from enemies time and time again.  God led them to a good land that was fertile and well watered.  Yet they turned quickly to idol worship and stopped worshipping God despite His many attempts to call them back to Him. 

   After the Northern kingdom fell and was taken into captivity you would think the Southern kingdom would learn the lesson and turned back to God – even if just for protection – as they were surrounded by three powerful enemies, Assyria, Egypt,  and Babylon.  While there were brief revivals, overall the people backslid further and further away from God.  Now, in the last extremity before the Babylonians were used by God to take them into captivity, Jeremiah is told to write to the people one last warning.  And God, with broken heart, asked them why they turned away from Him and went to worship wood and stone instead of Him.  He warns them that when the time of trouble comes upon them, they can call to the gods of wood and stone to come and save them, but not to call on Him.  How frightening this should have been!  God is laying His heart open to them and telling them He will not hear their cries for help!  But they did not listen and the Babylonians came and destroyed their cities and took them captive.  It all happened just as Jeremiah said it would happen.

   I see a parallel in our country today and it frightens me.  God freed us from servitude to Britain.  It’s all in the Declaration of Independence which was not written to King George but written to God. It is a plea for His justice.  He blessed our land and it is fertile and well watered.  We grew and became strong under Godly leaders who prayed and sought His face.  Then we began to turn away from God.  Just in my lifetime I have seen God kicked out of every government agency. 

   We have embraced the idea that we happened by chance and not created for a purpose.  I’ve seen slime floating on ponds, and can’t imagine how anyone can believe we grew from that stuff.  I’ve been to zoos and seen monkeys and feel no relationship to them.  Yet millions of people in our country believe this and teach this and it is the prevailing belief in our country.  When troubles fall on our land, will the monkeys rise up and defend us?  Will slime flow out and overwhelm our enemies?  No!  We will be undefended because these things can’t help us and after abandoning God He will not answer our cries for help. 

   And the question begs to be asked, "What injustice have your fathers found in Me, O America, that you have gone far from Me, have followed idols, and have become idolaters?”  “Whoa!” you say to me. “We don’t set up idols in our homes and don’t have sacred groves on the hills to go to.  We’re not dumb idol worshippers.  We’re too enlightened for that kind of thing.”  If you don’t think we’re an idolatrous people you’re not looking too hard at our society.  Any people who put something else before God are an idolatrous people.  That which you put before God is an idol.  That which keeps you from praying is an idol.  That which keeps you from living a holy life is an idol.  I repeat:  we are an idolatrous nation. 

   What right do we have to call on God to heal our nation?  We reject Him, ridicule His followers, blaspheme His name, and then think He will come to us and solve all our troubles?  Our nation is heading for a crash and God will allow it to teach our leaders humility.  Every people who rejected God have been humbled.  Read all about it in history.  My heart is sick to see it happening to us and I fear it is coming quickly. 

   Our nation has turned away from God and we have crossed a line He has warned us not to cross.  Is it too late for our nation?  I really don’t know, but I fear it is too late.  Too many of our people have developed deaf ears and blind eyes and do not hear His cry to turn back to Him.  Will God punish us?  I don’t think He has to.  He will do as He did to the Southern kingdom; He will take His hands off and allow us to spiral out of control and then an enemy will come and humble us.  Our proud nation will be chastised by another. 

   The Southern kingdom had false prophets telling their leaders all would be well.  We have false preachers today preaching that all will be well.  They dress in nice suits and have big congregations and talk pleasing words and smile a lot but they are still false preachers.  Any preacher telling you we are going to be OK is bearing false witness to you.  This week read the first six chapters of Jeremiah, the Weeping Prophet, and I pray your heart breaks and you weep for our land and for our families. 

Stephen Cram                                               September 29, 2013                      

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, following the tradition of men according to the rudiments of the world, and not in accordance with Christ.  Colossians 2:8

Visit my pastor’s blog at http://pastorjonrhinehart.blogspot.com/.

    

A Burning Fire in the Bones

A Burning In The Bones

Jeremiah 20:9
Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name.”
But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones;
I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.

Jeremiah was one of the prophets in Israel just before the Babylonian invasion.  God gave him a message telling the people that because of their sins He would allow the Babylonians to destroy their city and their nation.  The people hated Jeremiah for his prophesy and they ridiculed him and imprisoned him.  During this time, he said he was not going to preach anymore.  He was not going to even mention God’s name anymore.  But he did because, as he said, he could not continue to hold the message back.  It was like a fire inside him burning even the insides of his bones.  He found he had a calling from God and he had to speak his prophesies and he could not stop telling the people the message.  He said it made him weary to try to stop telling them God’s Word.
   We read in the book of Acts where Peter and John faced the same thing.  They were preaching the Gospel of Jesus and the priests and Sadducees became very angry at them.  They were thrown into prison and the next day were threatened and told not to preach any more in the name of Jesus.  “But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to hearken unto you rather than unto God, judge ye: for we cannot but speak the things which we saw and heard” (Acts 4:19-20).  In other words, they couldn’t stop talking about Jesus and could not keep His Gospel bottled up inside themselves.
   Jeremiah had the same thing Peter and John had, a fire burning inside of them that would not let them keep quiet.  When you read the book of Acts you see this fire evident in the lives of the early church.  They were compelled to speak out and warn people of their sins.  They were desperate to tell people about the Hope of the Gospel.  Paul wrote of this in Romans 1:16 - “For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation…”
   Reading that it makes me wonder where that fire has gone to?  Shouldn’t that fire be burning in us today?  We make our churches as comfortable and as entertaining as possible, but is this fire missing?  Have we covered it up with political correctness?  After all, the Gospel will be offensive to many, so do we shy away from confrontations?  Oh Lord, we want to tell others about you, as long as we don’t hurt their feelings while we are doing it.  We’ll march in the streets to have clean air and better water, but won’t speak out about abortions and gay marriages.  We’ll stand in the church foyer and tell all who will listen about the evils in our world but won’t talk to our friends and co-workers about their sins.  Instead of fire in our bones we have marshmallow in our spines.
   Jeremiah and Peter and John and Paul had a fire burning within because they cared for the lost souls of men.  They cared about their eternal destiny.   How concerned are we about the lost souls of men?  Does it hurt your heart to think about people dying without the Gospel?

Stephen Cram                                                              September 22, 2013                  

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, following the tradition of men according to the rudiments of the world, and not in accordance with Christ.  Colossians 2:8


Visit my pastor’s blog at http://pastorjonrhinehart.blogspot.com/.

Dem Dry Bones

Dem Dry Bones

Ezekiel 37: 1-3
1 The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. 
2 Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. 
3 And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.”

   I don’t know what your beliefs about dreams are, so if you don’t accept the idea of God communicating through dreams, you probably want to stop reading now and come back next week.
   Still with me?  Let me tell you of a dream I had recently and what the Lord has been impressing on me.  I was walking into the small church I currently attend and saw the church empty but the floor was scattered with bones.  And then I saw the message displayed for me that Ezekiel received in the valley – “can these bones live?”  I was about to answer when I woke up.  My first feeling was that it was about the church and how it was all but closed last year and now the Spirit of God has been bringing life back to the church.  We have a pastor who loves the Lord and loves people and is preaching the Word.  So I felt that was the end of the meaning of the dream.  And while I do believe what I saw does have meaning in our church’s situation, I also believe there is more meaning to the dream.
   As I have been reading this week I’ve found references of revivals and the background behind some of them.  The more I read, the more I’m reminded of the valley of the dry bones in Ezekiel.  The first application of the vision was to tell Ezekiel his people, Israel, would have a national revival.  Their nation would be overthrown and the people scattered but they would be brought back and restored as a nation.  There was also a spiritual aspect to the vision, a promise that the people would experience a spiritual restoration.  This last has still not come to pass, but will in the future.  The nation of Israel will call upon God once again.
   I believe strongly that churches can and should pray for revival.  I believe that if you humble yourselves and pray that God will pour out His Spirit on your church you will experience revival.  But is there more to this?  Yes, there is a personal aspect to this as well.  In my dream I saw dry bones in the church and feel God is asking if we believe the church can be revived.  And I say, “O Lord God, You know!”  I’m willing to have revival in the church and wish all churches would experience revival.  Lord God you know how desperately wicked our nation is and how much we need You to pour out Your Spirit.
   But also I feel God was calling to me and asking if my life can be revived.  Can my dry bones be brought back to life?  In other words, am I ready to ask for revival in myself?  No church can experience revival until its members experience personal revival.  Personal revival can upset your life.  Jesus wants your life, and not just a little, but all the way.  Am I willing to do that?  I’ve been making a list and, frankly, I find it frightening and not a little intimidating.

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal sin in my life.
Refuse to obey my carnal (worldly) nature.
Seek forgiveness from any I have offended, and forgive any who have hurt me.
Ask the Holy Spirit to guard my walk against complacency and mediocrity.
Examine my motives in every word and deed.
Ask the Lord to search and cleanse my heart daily.
Praise and give thanks to God continually in all ways regardless of circumstances.
Read, study, meditate on, and memorize God's Word.
Pray without ceasing.
Fast and pray.
Hunger and thirst after righteousness.
Love God with all of my heart, soul, and mind.
Seek to share Christ daily to at least one person.
Develop utter dependence on Him and submit to Him in humility.
Determine to live a holy, Godly life of faith.

And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.”
And He does know.  But am I willing?


Stephen Cram                                                                  September 15, 2013                  

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, following the tradition of men according to the rudiments of the world, and not in accordance with Christ.  Colossians 2:8


Visit my pastor’s blog at http://pastorjonrhinehart.blogspot.com/.

Open Hearts and Open Homes

Open Hearts and Open Homes

Acts 16:15

And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.

   One of Britain's queens, Victoria, and her husband Prince Albert visited his childhood home in Bavaria.  The prince's birthplace and boyhood home was a small castle known as Schloss Rosenau.  Queen Victoria was so charmed by the welcome of the castle that she wrote, ""How happy and how joyful we felt on awakening to feel ourselves here."" The queen appreciated the warmth and sincerity of her welcome to the home.

   Paul must have felt the same kind of warmth and welcome in the home of Lydia, the first recorded European convert to Christianity.  This woman was successful in business and generous in heart, and after accepting Christ into her heart she opened her home to Paul and his associates.

   Lydia's first actions after receiving Christ testified to her salvation.  She immediately shared the gospel with her entire household and, we are told, they were all saved.  Then Lydia presented herself and her family for baptism, a step of obedience that publicly proclaimed her believing in Christ. 

   After Paul was taken into custody and illegally beaten and jailed, when he was released he went back to her home and stayed for what may have been many days.  Nothing is written about her flinching away from Paul after he went through this. 

   Hospitality has taken on a different meaning in our day.  Hotels take away the need for believers to open their homes to visiting missionaries or to other visitors to our churches.  But if you have ever hosted someone in your home who has come to minister in your church, you know the joy of hospitality.  If you've never done it, you don't know what you're missing.

   The “domestic arts” have become big business.  Magazines and books that focus on cooking and home improvement are available in most stores and library shelves groan under their weight.  People have become obsessed with improving their homes and their ability to host parties.  The Bible gives exhortations in a few places to believers telling us to offer hospitality.  One verse even warns us that some have entertained angels unawares.  But fear not, God does not expect all of us to live in homes that could be featured on television or cook like award-winning chefs.  Our offering of hospitality needs to be sincere and warm and freely offered.  The example of Lydia should be our inspiration.  Lydia connected the practice of hospitality with her faith in Jesus.  

   Interestingly, the word “hospitality” in in Webster’s dictionary between “hospice,” a place of shelter, and “hospital,” a place of healing.  Remember that when offering hospitality.  When you open our home in the true spirit of hospitality, you offer both shelter and healing.

   How can you extend hospitality to others?  The first purpose is not to impress others but to meet their needs – shelter, food, companionship, relationship, or a safe place.  Ask the Lord to shape your attitude toward hospitality and to give you opportunities to offer this blessing to others.

Stephen Cram                                                                   September 8, 2013                      

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, following the tradition of men according to the rudiments of the world, and not in accordance with Christ.  Colossians 2:8

Visit my pastor’s blog at http://pastorjonrhinehart.blogspot.com/.

Operation Midian

Operation Midian

Judges 7:1-2

1 Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the well of Harod, so that the camp of the Midianites was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley.

2 And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’

   Gideon is there with the troops of Israel and ready to begin Operation Overthrow Midian.  He looks out over his meager troops and wonders if there are enough to carry out this operation when the Lord speaks to him and tells him he has too many men.  Too many?  The forces of Midian are like a rolling tide sweeping across the land of Israel.  They have better weapons and ride attack camels.  From Judges 8:10 we read that Midian had one hundred and thirty five thousand men.  Against this, Gideon was able to persuade thirty-two thousand men to volunteer to fight.  Each Israelite soldier would have to take out roughly four Midianites each for there to be victory.  That’s pretty long odds.  With that few men it would take a miracle to even slow down the Midianites. 

   But first God tells Gideon he has too many men.  At four to one odds against them, it was too close.  So Gideon is told to let the men who were fearful return home.  Twenty two thousand left leaving him with ten thousand troops.  That was a little better, now the odds are thirteen and a half to one.  Much better, but still not good enough, because God knew the wickedness of human hearts and if there was any way to take the glory from a victory the people would do it and God would get only a token acknowledgment. 

   So God led Gideon to test the men remaining and of the ten thousand men only three hundred were chosen to fight.  A mere handful of men against the hoard of Midian.  Then Gideon gave them their weapons.  You’d think with the crazy odds now that he’d arm them with some type of new swords: some kind of Star Wars – type light sabre.  But no, they didn’t get fancy new swords; they got trumpets and clay pitchers and torches. 

   So now imagine you’re in the huge camp of the Midianites and you’re sleeping in your tent and suddenly there is the light from hundreds of torches all around you and trumpets are blowing and people are shouting.  The confusion must have been terrible.  The Midianites rush about killing each other in the dark and the survivors flee into the night.  The three hundred with Gideon are left with the enemy’s camp and all the spoils. 

   This story is one I’ve read hundreds of times and it never really meant much to me.  But since the first of the year, I’ve come to appreciate Gideon more and more.  We began attending a small church here in North Baltimore in January.  The church had had a rough time in the past but God had sent away those who had been there and when our pastor and his family arrived they came to an empty building.  We are few in numbers but we have been given our assignment:  bring the Gospel to our Village. 

This year we’ve worked to spread the message around town that the church is open and God’s Word is being preached there. 

   And there has been opposition.  The enemy has tried to distract and discourage the pastor and his family with many obstacles.  He has tried to discourage my wife and myself.  This week the enemy has tried once again to place damaging thoughts in my mind about death and failure.  One example:  my wife was working at a small store nearby and did not answer the phone when I tried to call her.  I suddenly had an image of her lying dead on the floor of the store flash through my mind.  It hit me hard but I was able to pray and clear my mind.  I got in touch with her a few minutes later. 

   These attacks are hurtful and I resent the enemy using thoughts of those close to me as a way to try to harm me.  But I know that God is ever near me and will not leave me and is there to strengthen me when I call on Him. 

   This week our church even suffered a physical attack.  A man with a history of problems tried to burn the church building only to fail and is now in police custody.  The enemy may want to harm the ministry, but the church is not the building.  The building is a convenience to the ministry to allow us to meet in comfort, but it is only a building.   The ministry will go on and the Gospel will be preached in this Village, building or no building, for as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12: 9&10 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

   To be honest I can’t say that I “delight” in weaknesses and in hardships, but I am learning that it does not take an army to oppose the devil, just a handful of willing people armed with the light of the Gospel.    

 Stephen Cram                                                          September 1, 2013                     

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, following the tradition of men according to the rudiments of the world, and not in accordance with Christ.  Colossians 2:8

Visit my pastor’s blog at http://pastorjonrhinehart.blogspot.com/.