1. YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY 4 TH MARCH 2012

2.  Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, "Couldn't you watch with me even one hour? "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

3.  “I have heard you,” replied Jeremiah the prophet. “I will certainly pray to the LORD your God as you have requested; I will tell you everything the LORD says and will keep nothing back from you.” Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accordance with everything the LORD your God sends you to tell us. 6 Whether it is favorable or unfavorable, we will obey the LORD our God, to whom we are sending you, so that it will go well with us, for we will obey the LORD our God.”

4.  In these verses the people tell Jeremiah that they want to know what the Lord has to say and that they will obey what He tells them. Of course, they don’t like what He has to say so they choose to do their own thing. I think that this is something we all struggle with. We want to do the Lord’s will, but mostly if it sort of lines up with our will. If we want to do something contrary, (and as sinners we often do) then we look for ways to justify and rationalize (tell rational lies).  Help us all God to do Your will today. Let Your will be done in our lives.

5.  Then the officials said to the king, “This man should be put to death. He is discouraging the soldiers who are left in this city, as well as all the people, by the things he is saying to them. This man is not seeking the good of these people but their ruin.”

6.  The reality of the situation is that Jeremiah is seeking the good of these people, not by telling them what they want to hear, but telling them truth. God’s Word is truth and yet we live in a culture still that would rather hear what they want to hear than have to be challenged by the Word of God. One thing I know is that if I am confronted with a decision, and the culture says that choice A is correct and the Bible says that choice B is correct, that the choice to make is always B.

7.  But they replied, “We do not drink wine, because our forefather Jonadab son of Recab gave us this command: ‘Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine.

8.  Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying: “This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go and tell the men of Judah and the people of Jerusalem, ‘Will you not learn a lesson and obey my words?’ declares the LORD. ‘Jonadab son of Recab ordered his sons not to drink wine and this command has been kept. To this day they do not drink wine, because they obey their forefather’s command. But I have spoken to you again and again, yet you have not obeyed me. Again and again I sent all my servants the prophets to you. They said, “Each of you must turn from your wicked ways and reform your actions; do not follow other gods to serve them. Then you will live in the land I have given to you and your fathers.” But you have not paid attention or listened to me.

9.  These verses are way less about the drinking of wine than they are about being obedient. What God is making a point of here is that the Recabites had been faithful in obeying the command that Jonadab had given them. God wants His people to learn the lesson of the importance of being obedient. It is a good lesson for us all.

10.  For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

11.  This is a great verse to spend much time thinking about. I love knowing that God cares about our hope and our future. So take time to seek Him and find Him by seeking Him with all your heart today.

12.  LOVE HIM, fervently. PRAY TO HIM, constantly. TRUST HIM, in everything. VISIT HIM, frequently. RECEIVE HIM, as often as possible