Our people want to hear a positive message. They don't want to hear a negative one. Try this one on for size. Jeremiah is complaining about his call as a prophet. Not the kind of thing that will make many of our people HAPPY! God has turned his world upside down, he has been raped by God. He goes throughout his community saying "Violence and Destruction!" Hopefully the District will call him to a new cure real soon.
tom in ga
"They Kill Prophets, Don't They?"
Seems to me we have a long history of prophets being most unwelcome. Most recent was probably MLK Jr. The turth is, we don't want to hear it. And I do suspect that some of our preachers are also called to be prophets. But try prophesying from the pulpit two weeks in a row.....
My mama used to say that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. It takes skill to communicate the tougher parts of the Gospel/Scripture in a way that can be heard. I pray that God will give us this gift, as his people surely need to hear the Word.
HW in HI
Verse 9 makes it clear that Jeremiah can't help but prophecy. The words just have to come out even though he knows it will antagonize some folks.
Verse 11 has some hope though. Sometimes the hope can only be seen in the long view. No matter how tough it gets, God is with the prophet and will not let him fail in the long run.
Sometimes we have to make things worse so that they can get better later on. Prophecy can be a bitter medicine.
ss in pa
Verse 9 makes it clear that Jeremiah can't help but prophecy. The words just have to come out even though he knows it will antagonize some folks.
Verse 11 has some hope though. Sometimes the hope can only be seen in the long view. No matter how tough it gets, God is with the prophet and will not let him fail in the long run.
Sometimes we have to make things worse so that they can get better later on. Prophecy can be a bitter medicine.
ss in pa