The Struggle Against – What’s the Use?

 

Text:

Jeremiah 20:7-13

Joel 2:12 –28

Isaiah 61:1-3

Nehemiah 6:1-3

·        Jeremiah never saw waters parted

·        Jeremiah never rode on a chariot of fire

·        Jeremiah never saw fire fall from heaven

·        Jeremiah never drank water from a rock

·        Jeremiah was never delivered from a lion’s den

Jeremiah was known as the – WEEPING PROPHET

 

 

Jer 9:1

1          Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

(KJV)

 

Note:  Jeremiah 1:4 – 10

 

Jer 1:4-10

4          Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

5          Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

6          Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.

7          But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.

8          Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.

9          Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

10       See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.

(KJV)

 

God said –  “Jeremiah before you were ever born I called you to be a prophet”

Jeremiah –  I called you to root out – I called you to destroy –  I called you to throw down

Jeremiah – I called you  –  To Build up and to plant.

Jeremiah faced  –  Derision (Ridicule)

Jeremiah faced  –  Defame  (Slander)

Jeremiah developed the Attitude –  “ What’s the Use?”

 

He got discouraged  –  he felt God forsaken

He reached the point that he said –  “I’ll sit down and keep my mouth shut”

But then something begin to move inside of Him

 

He said  –  “ITS JUST LIKE FIRE SHUT UP IN
MY BONES”

 

He grew weary of   –  FOREBEARING  – Doing Nothing

Jeremiah –  it’s time to STIR UP THE FIRE

NOTE:  THE PROPHET JOEL  2:12 –28

Joel 2:12-17

12       Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

13       And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

14       Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?

15       Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:

16       Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

17       Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?

(KJV)

 

Prophet –  Joel  2:12 – 28  –  It’s time to BLOW THE TRUMPHET in ZION  –  Its time to call a Solemn Assembly  –  It’s time to Fast

It’s time for the minister of the Lord to – WEEP between the porch and the altar

ITS TIME FOR THE FORMER AND LATTER
RAIN TOGETHER

The Prophet  – Nehemiah  –  6:1

 

Neh 6:1-9

1          Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)

2          That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.

3          And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?

4          Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.

5          Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand;

6          Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.

7          And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.

8          Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.

9          For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.

(KJV)

“Nehemiah –  don’t come down  –   someone is depending on you  –  build the gates and the walls of Jerusalem. “

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WE HAVE REASONS TO GET INVOLVED

·        GOD HAS CALLED US

·        GOD HAS COMMISSIONED US TO GO

·        I’M A SOLDIER IN THE ARMY OF THE LORD

·        A SOLDIER ANSWERS TO THE COMMANDING OFFICER

“One of the most agonizing death of a saint of God is die from the disease  –  “What’s the Use “or  –  “Let someone do it “

If I have a song to sing – and I don’t sing – its nobody’s fault but my own

 

If I have a word to share, and I don’t tell it

Its nobody’s fault but my own

 

Mt.9:37-38

 

Matt 9:37-38

37       Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

38       Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

(KJV)

Jn. 4:35

“Say not ye ……There are yet four months and then the harvest  –   “Behold I say unto you –  Lift up your eyes and LOOK on the FIELDS for theyare WHITE ready to HARVEST.”

Acts 1:8

“But ye shall receive POWER after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you….and YE SHALL BE WITNESSES UNTO ME ……Both in Jerusalem, and in all Judah, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.”

“Give us the ATTITUDE   of King David

“IS THERE NOT A CAUSE?”