LIVING WISELY AMONG NONBELIEVERS!

LIVING WISELY AMONG NONBELIEVERS!
Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Colossians 4:5

O Lord, give us strength to wisely live our lives among nonbelievers, and to speak boldly and lovingly of you. Make our hearts strong, blameless, and holy as we fight the good fight. We praise you Lord Jesus for you are the Great I AM. You have given us work to do; may we live our lives glorifying the Lord of Heaven’s Armies our Sovereign Lord. By the power of the name of Jesus and the power of the blood of Jesus we ask these things. Amen

God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. What he desired for Jeremiah and other saints of old, he desires for us. Let us pray through these Scriptures asking God for His boldness and strength to stand firm for Jesus Christ.

1. Jeremiah 1:4-10
   The Lord gave me this message:
   5 “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.
   Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”
   6- “O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”
   7- The Lord replied, “Don’t say, 'I’m too young’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you.
   8- And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
   9- Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said, “Look, I have put my words in your mouth!
   10- Today I appoint you to stand up against nations and kingdoms. Some you must uproot and tear down, destroy and overthrow. Others you must build up and plant.”

2. Jeremiah 2:4-11
   2:4- Listen to the word of the Lord, people of Jacob--all you families of Israel!
   This is what the Lord says:
   “What did your ancestors find wrong with me that led them to stray so far from me?
   They worshiped worthless idols, only to become worthless themselves.
   2:5- They did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord who brought us safely out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness a land of deserts and pits, a land of drought and death, where no one lives or even travels?’
   2:7- ”And when I brought you into a fruitful land to enjoy its bounty and goodness, you defiled my land and corrupted the possession I had promised you.
   2:8- The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord?’
   Those who taught my word ignored me, the rulers turned against me, and the prophets spoke in the name of Baal, wasting their time on worthless idols.
   2:9- Therefore, I will bring my case against you,” says the Lord.
   I will even bring charges against your children’s children in the years to come.
   2:11- Has any nation ever heard of anything as strange as this?
   Has any nation ever traded its gods for new ones, even though they are not gods at all?
   YET MY PEOPLE HAVE EXCHANGED THEIR GLORIOUS GOD FOR WORTHLESS IDOLS!

3. Jeremiah 3:9
   Israel treated it all so lightly--she thought nothing of committing adultery by worshiping idols made of wood and stone. So now the land has been polluted.

4. Jeremiah 9:3 “My people bend their tongues like bows to shoot out lies. They refuse to stand up for the truth. They only go from bad to worse. They do not know me,” says the Lord.

5. Jeremiah 15:19-21
   15:19- This is how the Lord responds: “If you return to me, I will restore you so you can continue to serve me.
   If you speak good words rather than worthless ones, you will be my spokesman. You must influence them, do not let them influence you!
   15:20- They will fight against you like an attacking army, but I will make you as secure as a fortified wall of bronze. They will not conquer you, for I am with you to protect and rescue you. I, the Lord, have spoken!
   15:21- Yes, I will certainly keep you safe from these wicked men. I will rescue you from their cruel hands.”

Jeremiah was speaking about 600 BC when he said, “YET MY PEOPLE HAVE EXCHANGED THEIR GLORIOUS GOD FOR WORTHLESS IDOLS!” They worshiped worthless idols, only to become worthless themselves.

In Psalm 106 we read about God’s people. The worship of idols led to their downfall. Notice the depth of depravity and ungodlessness these people fell.

1. Psalm 106:34-40
   106:34- Israel failed to destroy the nations in the land, as the Lord had commanded them.
   106:35- Instead, they mingled among the pagans and adopted their evil customs.
   106:36- They worshiped their idols, which led to their downfall.
   106:37- They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons.
   106:38- They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters.
   By sacrificing them to the idols of Canaan, they polluted the land with murder.
   106:39- They defiled themselves by their evil deeds, and their love of idols was adultery in the Lord’s sight.
   106:40- That is why the Lord’s anger burned against his people, and he abhorred his own special possession.

Read Paul’s words written about 650 years after Jeremiah’s words. May we follow the example of Jeremiah and Paul. May our lives and our witness turn many from worthless idols.

1. Colossians 4:2-6
   4:2-Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.
   4:3-Pray for us too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains.
   4:4- Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.
   4:5- Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.
   4:6- Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.

2. 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13
   3:12 And may the Lord make your love for one another and
   for all people grow and overflow,
   just as our love for you overflows.
   3:13 May he, as a result, make your hearts
   strong,
   blameless, and
   holy
   as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people. Amen.