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Jeremiah 9:23-26

We want to focus on this thought “What Can We Glory In?”

 

  To Glory means to make a show, to shine, to boast, to be proud of.

  We should want to impress God, not man.

  Trying to impress others will only lead vanity, wars and fightings, envy and jealousy, possibly thievery. 

 

There is no sin in being wise, Solomon was. 

  Wisdom is the ability to use your knowledge in the right way at the right time. 

  Anyone can have knowledge, but to be able to know how to execute it is the tool.  Gun control, fork control

 

  Wisdom in one sense is just, Good Judgement.  Have you heard the quote, “Good judgement comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgment”?

 

  True wisdom comes from God and can be obtained from God. 

  James 1:5 if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, the giveth to all men liberally…  It is to be searched for and to be chosen.
   Out of over 200 times we find wisdom in the Bible, a quarter of the references are from the book of Proverbs.

  …the Lord giveth wisdom…happy is the man that findeth wisdom…the Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth…wisdom is the principle thing, therefore get wisdom.

 

  When wise men begin to trust in their wisdom, God is left out and destruction lay ahead.

     There is no sin in being mighty, Gideon was. 

  Jdg 6:12  And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

 

  When men begin to trust in their own power, their own strength, we will fall.

  Psalm 147:10 He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.

 

  Zech. 4:6 This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

 

  There is no sin in being Rich, (especially if you’re my friend),
 
Mat 27:57  When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple:

 

  We all know that the Bible is chocked full of warnings about trusting in riches.

  When we trust in riches they soon take flight…and if they don’t, if they take roost and keep you warm, then you will one day take flight.  Then, only what we have done for Christ will last.

  God wants us to find our protection, our comfort in Him.

  God wants all our wisedom, might, and riches to come from Him.

  Look how God took care of His people leaving Egypt and then the fish and loaves, what about the widow woman and Elijah.

 

  So, the question we asked “What Can We Glory In?” can be answered in by verse 24. That he understandeth and knoweth God.

 

  Jeremiah had earned the name“The Weeping Prophet.”
  The weeping came from his deep concern for God’s people to turn back to God and away from false idols.
  Away from their own abilities and actions.

  In political races men claim to be “Christian” but they never see the need to claim “Total dependence.”

 

  Same with us,  it’s easy to see others failure to recognize God, but what about us?

 

  Here is the message of the hour in verse 24.
  The Lord laid John 3:16 on my heart for New Testament Light.
  Glory in our knowledge of God’s

1.      Lovingkindness
First hand experience.  It is the same word, “Mercy,”
When we don’t get what we deserve.
 Adam didn’t, the devils didn’t,
John 3:16  God so loved, that HE gave…should not perish, like we should.

2.      Judgement
this is too hard a word for most people. 
John 3:18…he that believeth not is condemned already.
God is a God of judgement.

  Jud 1:14  And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

Jud 1:15  To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

He didn’t win “Most Sought After Prophet” award.

3.      Righteousness
John 3:19 – 21

Jer. 9:25 -26

There is a difference, there must be a difference, there is no substitute.  There is no middle ground.

 

  Where would you say you are this morning?  One foot in and one foot out?  Hot or cold or lukewarm?  Think about it, do something about it, today…