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Just wanted to share what God was speaking to me through His word this morning.....

JEREMIAH 18

God tells the nation of Israel that HE is the potter and can build up or dispose of his vessels as he sees fit. In extreme fairness and mercy he will treat them.


If they repent he will have mercy.

"if that nation turns from it's evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it(8)"

If they follow their own hearts he will tear them down.

"if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the GOOD with which I said i would benefit(10)"

Matthew Henry QUOTE:

That which ruins sinners is affecting to live as they [want]. They call it liberty to live at large; whereas for a man to be a slave to his lusts is the worst of slaveries.

As I've been reading through Jeremiah, over and over again I've watched God judge and punish His people for their sins I find one main sin at the CORE of every rebuke. The "evil" that God continually speaks of is this: that his people do not follow him, but their OWN HEARTS.

Who's not guilty of this? I know idolatry and other sins are named, but at the core our EVIL is following the dictates of our own hearts. THUS we live in slavery and don't know it. It doesn't seem that wrong to get up today without a thought of what God wills for our lives for the day- but rather we get up and do what we want ALL the time. Never living in a submissive spirit like Jesus who said "i only do what I see the Father doing". We've missed it. I've missed it.

The worst part of this Jeremiah passage is the people's response to what God said. RETURN FROM YOUR EVIL WAY OR FIND DISASTER.

The people reply: "THAT is HOPELESS! we will walk according to our own plans, and we will every one obey the dictates of his evil heart. (12)"

I might not have said it that way, but by the way I live today: I've said the same thing. Living in empty self serving slavery today and not even knowing it.

GOD RESCUE ME FROM THIS.