Scripture:
Jeremiah 17:7-10 NKJV
[7] “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. [8] For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit. [9] “The heart is deceitful above all things And desperately wicked; Who can know it? [10] I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.
Observation:
I think about this scripture often. It’s one of those that sounds so beautiful when you say it. It gives reassurance and a level of confidence to someone who is trusting that the LORD is going to hold tight to HIS promises. But it’s also one of those scriptures that we need to pay attention to what’s being said right before and right after the verses that have been highlighted… because yes, the scripture that has been chosen this morning is beautiful and gives us a lot of hope that if we trust in the LORD, we are not going to be let down. Backing up just 2 verses gives us the contrast between trusting in man and trusting in GOD. Verses 5 and 6 describe what it looks like to trust in man. They tell us that trusting in mankind will leave us without the proper nutrients that we need. Like a shrub in the desert starving for water to survive. But looking at verses 7 and 8 really focused on verse 8. However, without verse 7 identifying where your trust needs to be, we may place it in the wrong thing. The blessings come from the LORD and trust in HIM. The Bible tells us that if we indeed do that, we will be like a tree that always produces. Even in the hard times. Planted right by the source of truth. I have a question. Have you ever seen a shrub in the desert? Every time I have ever seen them, in a movie, it’s been a tumbleweed blowing by dry and disconnected basically dead. The verses we are looking at this morning give us that contact trust in man, and you are dry and disconnected from what you truly need. Trust in the LORD, and you have everything you need. Even in the hard times. Let’s look a little closer at verse 8. For he shall be like a tree planted by the water, which spreads out its roots by the river and will not fear when heat comes. Man, that statement… will not fear when heat comes. That’s the dividing line, is it not? A shrub in the desert can’t handle one more hot day, but a tree that is planted by the water is not phased or surprised by the heat. It stands strong knowing that it’s going to get exactly what it needs not just to survive but to continue to produce. As verse 8 continues, it paints a picture for us of a tree firmly rooted or a man wholeheartedly trusting in the LORD. “But its leaves will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit. The bible is telling us that when our trust is in GOD, our hearts will not be anxious or fearful. Verse 9 almost seems to take a turn. But not really. When the bible talks about the heart, what it seems to always be referring to is our emotions. A man who is led by his emotions will make the wrong decision every time. They will deceive us. They are temporary. Making decisions on something that can change in 10 minutes is very dangerous. The heart ( our emotions ) is deceitful, and who can know its ways? Now verse 10. The LORD searches the heart and tests the mind and gives according to a man’s ways. Just think about that and let it resonate in your mind. And we will move on to the application
Application:
So when I started these SOAPS, I decided to live my faith in front of everyone who reads these. I’m not holding back or hiding anything, and I have done my best to do exactly that. Honestly, I have been hit with a lot in the last few months. The enemy is relentless, and I can’t say that a few of the blows that he has dealt have not made me stagger back a little or made me wonder if I truly heard from GOD or not. That is just what he does. He wants you to question or doubt what you know for a fact that the LORD has spoken directly to your heart. The question becomes who do you trust? Where are your roots? As someone who has struggled most of my life and has been able to survive, digging in for the fight of faith comes almost naturally. Through all the stuff I have faced in my life, GOD has developed a trust in HIM that seems to be very hard to shake. The key is do I let my emotions catch my attention, or do I trust in what GOD’S word tells me? There are so many examples in the bible for us to draw from. Joshua and Caleb, for example. 2 out of 10 men who trusted in the LORD for what HE said despite what it looked like. They got to enter the Promise Land as the other 8 just wandered in the desert, dropping like flies for 40 years. Just a little lesson in biblical numerology. The number 2 represents the second chances the number 8 means new beginnings, and the number 40 is always a time of testing. That was all free, but my point is that those 2 trusted in the LORD. They didn’t care what it looked like or what anyone else said. GOD said it, and in their hearts that settled it. They were going into the promised land. My question for you this morning is, do you have that same resolve? Right now, my circumstances look like I need to hang it up and turn around. But GOD told me to move forward, and so I am pressing on. Now, in saying that, you are either going to jump ship or lock shields. That’s your choice. Yes, those who are in the land look like giants l. But our GOD is either bigger than them or problems or our problems are bigger than our GOD. We get to choose that. GOD is only limited by our willingness to trust HIM, and HE will search our hearts to see if we do. Count it all joy when you face various kinds of trials. Because the testing of your faith that is impossible to please GOD without is what perfects that very faith. Do you trust HIM? That’s the question. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything with prayer and supplication, make your request known to GOD and the peace of GOD that passes all understanding and will guard your heart in Christ Jesus. When we know in our heart of hearts that GOD is in control, we can rest assured that the outcome is going to be exactly what HE has already said it would be. HE is the source of our provision, our healing, our everything. The great I AM. HE is able to do far more than we could ever ask or imagine. DO YOU TRUST HIM? That’s the question you have to settle in your heart.
Prayer:
Father, we know that your word is the only truth that we can hold on to. If you say we can, then there is no reason to think we can. If we trust you, it will show in what we do. We do not place our trust in man, but we stand on what your word tells us. Your promises are yes and amen. We may be looking at giants of fear…. but you have not made us to be cowards. We are to come boldly to the throne and know that what you have said you will do. You tell us that we have been made righteous through Christ and that you will not leave your righteous begging for bread. You have always come through right on time, and there is no reason to believe otherwise. The fruit that you will bring forth from our total trust in you will be appealing to all who see that our roots run deep into who you are. We stand here trusting that you’re the promise keeper. You will do what you say. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus I pray amen