Tuesday May 19, 2015

Read Jeremiah 14:11-22

It’s often hard for us to know what’s from the Lord and what isn’t. We may, for example, have to choose between 2 jobs and may pray fervently for God’s leading to be revealed, only to hear Him being agonisingly silent. We may have to choose which church to attend, or which car to buy and so on, wondering why God doesn’t speak more clearly amidst our fervent prayers.

The situation was far worse in Jeremiah’s day. The prophets, God’s own spokespeople were telling the people that peace and safety was coming. Effectively, they were lying to the people and giving them a false hope.

As Jeremiah interceded for the people God bluntly told Him to stop interceding for He would not hear his cries for the people (14:11-12). He told Jeremiah that the prophets were lying and prophesying their own imaginations (vs 14-16) rather than the Word from the Lord. For this sin great disaster and judgment would follow (vs 17-19).

Undeterred, Jeremiah again pleads with the Lord (vs 20-22) confessing their sins and wickedness. Again he pleads with God on the basis of His character not to bring the judgment. He confesses the inability of the idols to bring rain and the truth that only God can change the situation.

Sometimes it’s hard to know God’s will in little personal matters like choosing a job or a car and so on but when it comes to interceding for our nation or for our world, it’s even harder. We need to learn from Jeremiah. Like Jeremiah, we need to stand in the presence of God in the shoes of the people. We need to cry out with and for the people. We need to confess our sins and admit that we’ve sought relief and restoration in things and people that cannot help us. We need to stop making idle promises or false promises that we know we will never keep. On the contrary we need to petition God based on His character, not on our abilities and actions.

If you think we have nothing to petition God about in this land of plenty, think about the many regions that are suffering long term drought, or those that are flood ravaged regularly. If you think that this is a land of blessing and plenty, think about the 800,00 – 900,000 infants that are aborted each year for no serious medical condition. Think about the enormous number of youth that binge drink each weekend, or commit suicide because they are without hope. Think about the unemployed, the hungry and those languishing in hospitals. Think of the move to remove RI from schools, to take away chaplaincy funding for schools and to change the definition of marriage. Our country needs intercessors.

It’s often hard to know God’s will in our own lives but even harder for a group of people. You and I need to be willing to do the hard and exhausting work of intercession and prayer for and on behalf of the people. If our churches did more of this, perhaps we’d see God more powerfully at work.

Prayer Points:

 Using today’s Bible passage and reading notes spend time in adoration, confession, thanks and supplication.

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

· Pray for the drought ravaged areas in Australia that you know of. Pray for relief from the suffering, for supplies to be sent to that region and for rain to come.

· Pray for the families in our land who are unemployed and without a means of income. Pray that they would be provided for and that God would use His church to bring relief from suffering and glory to His name.

· Pray for those who binge drink each weekend and cause havoc and stress to many and who bring harm to themselves. Pray that God would bring hope to the hopeless and salvation to those who are desperate.

 Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. If you were to intercede for the following, what characteristics of God would you call upon?

                 Youth in Australia

                 Redefinition of marriage

                 Sick and dying in hospitals.

2. Is your church an interceding church? Please explain. How can we bring change if needed?