Personal Thoughts and Ministry

Rejoice in the Lord.

5/31/2013

Thy Words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by Thy Name, O LORD GOD of Hosts. (Jeremiah 15:16)

The blessing of the Gospel. How sweet it is to hear those wonderful words. Jesus loves me, this I know for the Bible tells me so. How sweet are His Words to us, Words of comfort and peace even in the storm. And even the commandments while for a short time seem to be hard to take in, are sweet in the freedom we have in Christ to live, not under the Law which cannot save, but under His grace, mercy and love.

That is not a license to sIn, for that would not be sweet Words of rejoicing and the joy of our salvation, but would put Christ to shame all over again. We must walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, and how sweet that walk is when we are agreed and in unity with Christ.

Is your walk full of joy? Is your relationship with Christ full of rejoicing because you are called by His Name? Have you feasted on the manna of His Word to the satisfying of your soul?

If not, GOD calls you back to Himself. He wants you to be in right relationship with Him and to restore the joy of His Salvation to you. Surrender to Him on His terms once again and allow Him to renew a right spirit within you that you might once again give Him glory as He works in you to do His good pleasure.

If you are not one of His, if you have never received His salvation and been born again by faith in His finished work on the Cross of Calvary, GOD calls you to repent. Turn away from the sIn that separates you from Him and receive by faith His abundant and everlasting life. He wants to establish a covenant relationship of discipleship and fellowship with you that is everlasting. Believe Him today.

Rejoice in the Lord, and again I say, Rejoice.

In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet

Preach the Cross of Christ

5/30/2013

Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place. Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in My Name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart. Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy in My name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed. (Jeremiah 14:13-15)

The false prophets of Jeremiah's day were condemned for their claims of peace and safety when GOD had said that judgment was coming. There are always those that would rather avoid the preaching of uncomfortable truth than disturb their flock. The preaching of the Cross is foolishness to those that perish but we must preach it. To share the Gospel and the whole Word of GOD is our commission and task, and we must be about our Father's business. The Bible has many uncomfortable things to say to those that are in disobedience to it, and like a mirror it shows us the dirt we would rather not see. It also tells us that only Christ can cleanse us from all unrighteousness, and only when we surrender to Him on His terms, and we cannot rid ourselves of our sIn.

GOD reminded the Jews that despite the false prophecies, terrible times were coming upon them because of national and personal sIn. GOD is not mocked, and we certainly are not to lie in His Name, for He is Truth. Listening to or following messages and preachers that preach not the truth, or that which disagrees with the Word of GOD leads to, at best disappointment, at worst destruction.

To the person who is outside of the Family of GOD, who has never received Jesus Christ by faith in His finished work on the Cross of Calvary for your sIn, GOD calls you to repent. Believe His Word and be born again to an abundant new life of discipleship and fellowship in Him and through Him that is everlasting. Jesus loves you and wants you to know Him and be in a covenant relationship with Him today and forever.

For those that are His, follow the commandment of our Lord and share the Gospel with those you meet.

In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet

Heed the warning

5/29/2013

Give glory to the LORD your GOD, before He cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, He turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness. But if ye will not hear it, My soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and Mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD'S flock is carried away captive. (Jeremiah 13:16-17)

Our worship must be in Spirit and Truth. It must be directed to GOD alone, and not to others, ourselves, statues that are no gods, or any other thing that can take the place of GOD in our lives and our worship. He alone is worthy. He alone is Holy. He alone is light and His Word is our lamp.

GOD wept for His people because they would not leave their idols, and their sIn, and be obedient to Him and His Word. He had pronounced the coming captivity through His prophets and still they would not repent. Judah saw the destruction of Israel and yet did not repent. There was a remnant and that is why Judah lasted longer than Israel, but GOD's justice will come eventually, in His time, on sIn.

We are to be warned by admonishments such as this, that we too are under His watchful eye, and He will chastise His own, and punish sIn. If you are a part of GOD's Church, by faith in the risen Lord Jesus Christ, then stay in His Word that your path may be illuminated by its teachings and be obedient to what GOD tells you.

If you are not yet a child of GOD, for you have never received by faith, the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on the Cross in your place, repent of your sIn, and believe in Him. GOD is not willing that you should perish, but wants you to truly know Him and the new birth and everlasting life He promises to all those that believe. Jesus died in your place that you might have an abundant life in Him through faith in His Name. He wants you to enter into a covenant relationship and discipleship life with Him and through Him. Receive Him by faith today.

Be an obedient disciple and share the love of Jesus and His message of Hope today.

In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet

The Sword of the Lord

5/28/2013

Many pastors have destroyed My vineyard, they have trodden My portion under foot, they have made My pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto Me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart. The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wilderness: for the Sword of the LORD shall devour from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh shall have peace. They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put themselves to pain, but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the LORD. (Jeremiah 12:10-13)

Those pastors and leaders that no longer stand by the Authority of GOD's Word, and do not preach it or teach it as the inerrant infallible inspired Word of GOD are destroying the people of GOD. Just as they did here in Jeremiah's day, when they taught the principles and commandments of men instead of the precepts and laws of GOD, those charged with instructing others in the Word must be true to it or they will lead the flock astray from the truth of GOD, sometimes even subteley or even in the name of GOD.

GOD rebuked these false teachers through His prophets, and His Word challenges us today to remain pure and take His Word as it is given and make the sense plain and give the meaning to the people. Not our opinion. Not our thoughts, but the straightforward Word of GOD. For without Him we can do nothing, and we are nothing, and if we don't know what He says, and that He says what He means and means what He says, we have no hope in this world. It is by the Word of GOD that we learn of Him and believe in Him. From Creation and the corruption that followed, to the catastrophic flood of Noah's day and the confusion that followed because of our sIn, we learn of Christ, His Cross for our salvation, and the consummation of all things that shall come.

Don't let GOD's wrath remain upon you because of your sIn, Jesus is not willing that any should perish, but wants you to repent, that is surrender to Him on His terms and turn away from your sIn and to HIm. Believe His Word and receive Him by faith today that you might be born again to new life in Christ. A brand new life in Him of discipleship and fellowship that is abundant and everlasting.

Wield the Sword of the Word properly in obedience to our Lord.

In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet

Hear the Word of the Lord

5/27/2013

Then the LORD said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them. For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey My voice. Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did them not. (Jeremiah 11:6-8)

GOD is serious about sIn. Since He is Holy and just He must punish all sIn, whether it is idolatry, disobedience, or rebellion to His Word. All sIn is disobedience and rebellion to GOD's Word in SELF-reliance, and we've been doing it all too well since the fall of man when Adam sinned. Without the sacrifice that Jesus offers in our place and our repentant acceptance of His free gift we would be men most miserable and lost forever.

GOD tells us to observe to do all that He has commanded, and only in His power can we truly do that. When we turn to Him, and trust Him He gives us an abundant life in Him that is everlasting, and then begins to conform us to the image of His dear Son. Through His Word, and His Body, the Church we hear His voice and obey; or we can go and 'do our own thing' and be in rebellion and under His chastisement. He still gives us the choice, just as we had the choice to choose Him for our Salvation.

That choice is still offered to those that don't yet know Him. GOD is not willing that any should perish, but wants you to come to the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants you to enter into a covenant relationship with Him by grace through faith. Believe His Word and receive Him. Surrender to Him on His terms and be born again and He will give an abundant life of discipleship and fellowship that is everlasting.

Don't put off what GOD has spoken, be obedient to Him today.

In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet

Peace only comes from the Prince of Peace

5/24/2013

How do ye say, We are wise, and the Law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made He it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the Word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them? Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD. (Jeremiah 8:8-12)

Israel claimed to be people of the Book, and yet didn't live under its authority, nor follow its precepts. They had made the Word of GOD of none effect by their traditions, that the scribes here are condemned for adding to the Word. Their wisdom was folly and their teachings empty for they taught the doctrines of men in place of the Commandments of GOD. They had strayed from GOD and His instructions both in writing, and in practice.

We in the Church are no better. Too many who claim the name 'Christian' use it to mean 'good' but according to their own definition, and it has no real Biblical signifigance to them. They are in reality no more christian than any other 'good' person that doesn't know Christ, and has no interest in the things of GOD. Just as the Jews had in practice all but ignored GOD and violated His principles all the while clinging to the 'promise' of them being the 'Chosen People' so the people of the Church have cast aside GOD's Authority for political correctness and comfortable expediency. They shall have neither, for if we are truly His He will not leave us alone nor is He mocked. His justice is pure and He is Holy and will chastise His own, and judge all the nations that forget GOD.

But, Jesus is not willing that you should perish. He wants you to surrender to Him on His terms and be born again. He desires a relationship with you by faith in His finished work on the Cross of Calvary that is abundant and everlasting. Believe Him and His work and receive His forgiveness today.

Be obedient to Christ and His Word and live in true peace with the Prince of Peace.

In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet

GOD alone is Worthy

5/23/2013

The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke Me to anger. Do they provoke Me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces? Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, Mine anger and My fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched. (Jeremiah 7:18-20)

Israel had a problem with idolatry and worship of false gods. They had learned it from the pagan nations around them when they denied the Authority of GOD's Word and followed the precepts of men. Their biggest transgressions were to the Ba'al god and Ishtar the 'queen of heaven'. GOD will not share His glory with that which is not a god, nor will He condone worship that truly belongs to Him and Him alone. His judgment will come down on all nations that forget Him and follow after their own lusts and desires instead of the Word of GOD.

Judah and Jerusalem were judged for their disobedience and idolatry and GOD had Jeremiah tell the Jews of their sIn. Most, just like today didn't listen to the pronouncements of GOD through His prophets. Today, the churches are in much the same shape as Israel was then. We have set aside GOD's Word and His authority for the doctrines of devils and the false ideas of man. We are no longer a voice in the wilderness and have no power or message. We must return to 'Thus saith the LORD' and preach the Gospel to every nation, for that is the only answer for our sIn problem.

The Gospel is the Good News that despite your sIn and separation from GOD, Jesus loves you and came to this earth as a man that you might receive forgiveness and an new abundant life through faith in His Name. If you surrender to Him on His terms and repent you can be born again to life in Christ. GOD is not willing that any should perish and wants you to come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ and wants to establish a relationship with Him of discipleship and fellowship that is everlasting.

We must be obedient to our GOD and worship Him alone.

In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet

GOD's Word - Reject or obey

5/22/2013

To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the Word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it. Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days. And their houses shall be turned unto others, with their fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD. (Jeremiah 6:10-12)

Israel was to spread the message of one GOD to the heathen nations around it, and they failed. Instead, the corruption of idolatry spread throughout Isreal and later Judah when the nation was divided and GOD judged them for their sIn. As it does in us, it comes down to the issue of Authority. Is GOD's Word the final authority in all matters of faith and practice in your life or not? It was supposed to be for Israel, and some believed. It should be for the Church, and a remnant still holds to that doctrine. Is it true in your life? Will GOD bless you for holding fast to your faith in His Word, or is He sitting in judgment because you have forsaken His authority over you?

For the child of GOD there is really no other choice. If He is Lord that means we have surrendered to Him on His terms and received by faith His life and righteousness, in place of our own filthy rags and sIn. We must obey, because Jesus is GOD, our Creator, Redeemer, and King, and has purchased us on Calvary's tree. He has paid our sIn debt, and we owe Him everything. We are to be about our Father's business until He takes us Home.

For those of you who are not in Christ, because you have never received His gift of love, mercy, and grace, GOD calls you to repent and believe. Turn to Him and receive by faith in Him and His Word the forgiveness of sIn that you must have to be born again. GOD is not willing that any should perish and wants you to come to a knowledge of the truth of Jesus Christ. He wants to give you a new life in Him that is abundant and free. He loves you, and calls you to a life of discipleship and fellowship in Christ.

Trust and obey, for there's no other Way.

In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet

Stop being foolish

5/21/2013

O LORD, are not Thine eyes upon the Truth? Thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; Thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return. Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their GOD. (Jeremiah 5:3-4)

Israel and Judah steadfastly refused to heed the warnings of the prophets. Most of the people had long since abandoned the ways of GOD and no longer heard the Word of GOD. Even while judgment was upon them, they continued in the ways of the heathen around them and disobeyed the commandments of GOD. But there was a remnant that remained faithful. GOD always has His people even in the times of the most fierce opposition to Him and His Authority over the nations.

We in the Church are also under judgment. We have sacrificed His Word on the 'alter' of expediency and convenience. The visible church has denied GOD in practice and betrayed our Lord to be accepted by this sinful world. But, the world will never 'like' us, for we represent Christ and friendship with the world is enmity with GOD. This lost and dying world is at war with GOD, they reject His Word, and dismiss His commands; the preaching of the Cross is foolishness to those that perish.

But, GOD is not willing that you should perish. He calls you to repentance and a knowledge of the Truth. The truth of Jesus Christ who loves you and gave Himself for you. The truth that your sIn separates you from a Holy and righteous GOD that has already judged you guilty and under condemnation for your sIn. Receive Him by faith, surrender to Him on His terms and be born again to a new and abundant life. An everlasting life of discipleship and fellowship with Jesus Christ that He has already paid for and He wants you to have.

It is time to stop being foolish and return to GOD in submission and repentance.

In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet

The call of the Gospel

5/20/2013

If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return unto Me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of My sight, then shalt thou not remove. And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in Him, and in Him shall they glory. For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. (Jeremiah 4:1-3)

Whether you are disobedient to GOD and His Word as Judah was here, or have never trusted GOD for forgiveness of your sIn, the answer GOD gives us is the same. GOD calls all who are separated from Him because of sIn to repent and return. We who are of the Church of GOD are to acknowledge our sIn just as we did when we were born again, and return to our Heavenly Father. GOD through the prophet Jeremiah called Judah and Jerusalem to return to Him and be obedient to His Word. GOD gets the glory He deserves when His people surrender to Him on His terms and rest in Jesus. The work of Grace He performs in us shows us the cost of sIn, the price He paid for our sIn, and what we must do to receive Him or return to the right relationship we once had.

No matter what your condition compared to others; personally, nationally, or ethnic, GOD declares us all to be unrighteous without Him and only through His shed blood can we be made holy in His sight. He is not willing that any should perish and calls us all to repentance. Believe His Word, and receive Jesus Christ by trusting in His finished work on the Cross of Calvary today.

Return to Him in repentance and obedience to His Word.

In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet

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