Stand ye in the Ways
Jeremiah 6:16 “Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.”
Jeremiah was called to a time, like ours, where much religion was going on; but very little obedience to God. They had all the outward trappings, but none of the devotion to God and His commandments.
Under King Josiah, who was a godly king; Jeremiah was given the job of going about Judah and instructing the people in the laws of God.
Many did not want to hear, for they had been influenced by the idolatrous nations round about them; and refused subjection to the Lord, although they went along with the outward ceremony.
Jeremiah 2:13 “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living water, and hewed them our cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.”
Then he was told to go to Jerusalem and preach there…telling the people what God would do, if they would repent and turn back in obedience to Him.
He would forgive and help them:
Jeremiah 7:5-7″For if ye thoroughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbor;
If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt:
Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.”
For what God wanted of His people was that they obey Him, from the heart.
“Stand ye in the ways”. In the Hebrew, means “Get up and do it”
Start actively seeking My ways.
If you just do this seeking, you are returning to your God and honoring Him.
This I will count,….and will honor you, in return.
Jeremiah 29:11-14 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you.
And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.
And I will be found of you, saith the Lord:….”
And ask for the old paths: The path of obedience to His Word,….which leads us to straighten out our lives before Him.
God has made a way to return to Him…..take it.
(How was it with those who came before us?
Those that martyred their lives for God and his gospel? From the apostles to our forefathers?
How did they attain to what they had?
Through the Holy Spirit’s enabling, and the Word of God to them.
We must seek out the truth of the Scriptures for ourselves: What does it say to us?
For now? For our calling and ministry? And yield to the Holy Spirit within!)
As Jeremiah said to Judah:
Jeremiah 7:23 “But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be My people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.”
Obey My voice….and I will be your God….and ye shall be My people.
Jesus said the same thing when He was talking to His disciples, before He went to the cross.
John 15:10″ If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love.”
Though there were failures,…….His disciples did, and they stirred the whole world, for Christ Jesus.
If we get our life in order before Him, and honor Him in this,……He will honor our obedience, in our everyday life.
God speaks through His Word: whether read, preached, or spoken by His inner Voice.
Hear Him, and return to the ways of peace,…..knowing His presence with you,……and for you,……everyday.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 