Introductory Thoughts
In Jeremiah’s day, the Israelites had grown spiritually cold concerning the truth. The Bible says that they were proceeding from evil to evil and were no longer valiant for the truth. Nobody could be trusted to tell the truth. The outcome was sure to be the judgment of God (Jeremiah 9:9). Jeremiah had a tremendous burden for his people's condition (Jeremiah 9:1). He determined to stand against the opposition so that his people might turn from their wickedness. Times may have changed since Jeremiah's day but not near as much as we might think. Far too many Christians have turned a blind eye toward evil and lost any desire to be valiant for the truth. The church and the rest of the world desperately need faithful Christians similar to the prophet Jeremiah who contended for the truth with a heart burdened for the work and the people.
Devotional Thoughts
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(For children): The Lord sent the prophet Samuel to tell King Saul to destroy all the Amalekites. When Samuel learned that Saul disobeyed God's directives, he was upset and cried out to the Lord all night for Saul. We too should display the same type of concern for those who disobey God.
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(For everyone): Are you valiant for the truth? What about your family? What about your friends? What about your church? What can you do to encourage others in the fight?
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How burdened are we for our nation, our family, our friends, and our church? Do we ever weep because of the believers around us who seem so complacent?
Prayer Thoughts
- Ask the Lord for help in being valiant for the truth.
- Ask God to burden you for those who proceed from evil to evil.
Song
THY TESTIMONY'S MY DELIGHT
