Jeremiah 7:26
Yet they (God's own people) did not listen to Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck; they did more evil than their fathers.
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The Lord quoted from the book of Jeremiah when He spoke to the moneychangers in the Temple saying to them, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer but you are making it a robber's den.' {Mat.21:13}
Jeremiah would have been very well acquainted with the people that God sent him to prophesy to rejecting the words he spoke. The Lord had told him from the beginning that those 'people of God'—the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests and the people of the land—would fight against him! {Jer.1:17-19} Quite like when the Lord was sending Ezekiel to His people, He prepared him for his ministry by saying that though the people would reject him, they would know that a prophet was among them. {Ez.2: 4-5}
So often in my travels I have met people who seem so proud to have a business card with their name and the title of 'prophet' on it. Have they never read that Jesus said that even Jerusalem, the city of God, was a place where the prophets were killed and where those sent by the Lord were stoned? {Lk.13:34} A true prophet does not, should not and must not bring his or her own word but ONLY what the Lord speaks to or through them!
We have been warned that in these perilous days because men will be lovers of self and lovers of money and pleasure—rather than lovers of God {1Tim.3:2-4} they will not endure sound doctrine but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires. {2Tim.4:3}
If you or I hear a word from the Lord, test it by the Holy Spirit. Then, if it is from God we must receive it—regardless of how popular or unpopular those words are; regardless of how 'famous' those people speaking are or are not. Regardless of how large a following they have, etc., etc, Remember that in the perilous last days false prophets and false teachers will abound and will deceive many. {Mat.24:24} So do not accept someone claiming to speak for God because they are popular, (true prophets rarely are) or because they are saying just what people want to hear.
Again, the Lord speaks through Jeremiah, speaking out against the prophets who have seen false and foolish visions. They have not exposed the people's iniquity so as to restore them from captivity, but they have seen false and misleading oracles. {Lam.2:14} People generally do not want their iniquity exposed! We should, as Peter wrote, long for the pure milk of the word like newborn babies so we will grow in respect to our salvation! {1Pt.2:2}
Remember that King David, truly desired and prayed that the Lord would send righteous people into his life to smite him in kindness and to reprove him. And that his head would not refuse it! {Ps.141:5} Surely a righteous prayer. So, abide in His word and pray that your desire would be to hear what the Lord wants rather than for Him to hear what you want! Perhaps it would serve us well to remember that as Jesus prayed facing the cross He said "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done." {Lk.22:42}
“...continue in the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:14-17)
THE GOAL OF OUR INSTRUCTION IS LOVE FROM A PURE HEART
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