Jeremiah 1:5
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;
Before you were born I sanctified you;
I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

There are many fields where we must leave the work to the professionals. It would be utter folly to attempt dentistry on yourself, and working on gas lines or electricity, without proper training, can be deadly. However, when it comes to ministry, we need to realize that each and every Christian has been called. Paul explained, it is actually the believers, not the professionals, who are called to the work.

Ephesians 4:12 “. . .for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”

That being said, Jeremiah’s experience is a perfect example of the call of God on our lives. Four critical truths are revealed.

First, God explains to Jeremiah that “He formed…

Philemon 1:7

“For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.”

The world honors men for many reasons. We have a Hall of Fame for most sporting endeavors. Men’s lives are immortalized for throwing a ball, riding a wave, or taking a punch. What an amazing thing it must be for a living legend to see a bronze statue of himself outside a stadium, or a street in his home town, named after him. Here, in our text, we find God is immortalizing the actions of a man named Philemon. In it we learn something very important about the economy of God.

“. . . the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.”

While we do not know a lot about this man, we do know his life was a source of encouragement for…

Isaiah 66:2
“For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist,” Says the Lord. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.”

Imagine walking into someone’s home, where, on the mantle, they had a picture of themselves with a famous or powerful person. As you looked closer, there was not one picture but many. You saw them having a meal together, strolling down the street, and perhaps even sailing the deep blue sea. If you are anything like me, you might begin to wonder how that was possible. How did they get to be so close to that person, so that they were able to be a part of their daily life?

Isaiah declares, God is so vast and majestic that the heavens themselves are His throne, and He uses the…

Isaiah 65:5

“Who say, ‘Keep to yourself,
Do not come near me,
For I am holier than you!'”

“Holier than thou” is defined by a modern dictionary as, “having a superior attitude or view of one’s self.” It is most commonly used as an accusation against a Christian who calls out sinful behavior. Have you ever been accused of being ‘holier than thou’? If you have, it was probably because you attempted to share Christ with someone. This verse is often coupled with Jesus’ command not to judge lest we be judged, and is used as a defense mechanism by those who are involved in ungodly practices. I think it is worth noting, this statement was actually first used by unbelievers who claimed they were holy enough on their own, and did not need a savior. In fact, anyone who refuses Christ and the cross, is essentially claiming to be…

Titus 3:8

“This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.”

Sometimes, when we want to emphasize the importance of something, we might add a phrase like “to tell you the truth” or “honestly speaking” or “without a doubt” or “without question.” It was common for Jesus to use the term “verily, verily” or “truly, truly”, when driving home a particular truth. For Paul, the favorite lead-in was “this is a faithful saying.” He used it five times in his writings, and each time emphasized a different truth.

1 Timothy 1:15 “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.”

Beyond any doubt…

Isaiah 64:1

“Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down!”

As Isaiah looked at the present condition of his world, his heart cried out for the Lord to come. He was not alone in this cry, for the apostle John brought the book of Revelation to a close crying out for Jesus to return. Saints throughout the ages have echoed his plea. There will be a literal fulfillment of Isaiah’s prayer; Jesus will return for His church and He will set up His kingdom. That being said, Isaiah’s prayer has a much broader scope as well. I have found myself, on multiple occasions, praying for God to rend the heavens to meet with me. In times of quiet prayer, as I am about to face a situation that I know I am less than equipped for, my heart pleads for God to rend the heavens and meet…

Isaiah 63:7

“I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord And the praises of the Lord, According to all that the Lord has bestowed on us, And the great goodness toward the house of Israel, Which He has bestowed on them according to His mercies, According to the multitude of His loving-kindnesses.”

I recently attended a communion service where we were encouraged to think back upon who we were and where we we going. My mind immediately took me back to being a carefree young man, who gave no regard to the things of God. I allowed myself to imagine what my life would be like had I continued on that course. I could see myself walking down a road in pursuit of pleasure, only to find that road leading to vanity. We were then encouraged to think about all Christ accomplished for us, and to reflect upon the things…

Titus 2:1

“But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine”

The purpose of the teachings of God’s Word is not simply information. We should not expect a test when we arrive in heaven or a pop quiz along the way. Instead, we learn the Word so we might behave right. Sound doctrine must lead us to sound living. Elsewhere, we read of the doctrine that accords with godliness. When our understanding of God is correct, we will worship, live, act, react and speak in ways that are pleasing to God. Here, Paul exhorts Titus to speak properly. While proper speaking would include praise, evangelism, and encouraging others, it also avoids gossip, slander, backbiting and complaining. Paul is referring specifically to the things Titus would be teaching within the church. He divides the body into groups based upon age, gender and vocation; encouraging proper behavior from…

Isaiah 62:5 “As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So shall your God rejoice over you.”

Life can cause us to misunderstand God. In the midst of difficulty, it is common to respond like the disciples who cried out, “Lord don’t you care that we are perishing” (Mark 4:38)? It is during those times, we need to cling all the more to the promises of God. Circumstances are often misleading. If we want to know how God truly feels about us, we need to look into the pages of His Word. Isaiah declares that God rejoices over us. I have had the privilege of performing quite a few weddings. My favorite part of the ceremony is to look at the face of the groom as his bride appears. The sheer joy on his face is electric. God declares his love for us is like that of a groom with…

Isaiah 61:10

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”

Certain garments are necessary for certain activities. People wear football apparel to play football, a suit for the office, and a wedding gown for the wedding day. In the same way, appropriate apparel is required for entrance to heaven. Isaiah called these the garments of salvation. These clothes can only be purchased by placing faith in Christ. When we do that, our old filthy rags of self-righteousness are replaced with a robe of righteousness, and we are welcomed into the banqueting hall of the Lord. Jesus put it this way;

Matthew 22:1-14 The Parable of the Wedding Feast