May 25th

May 25th -- Jeremiah 36 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah%2036&version=NLT)

Go read, please, as I've basically decided to stop doing summaries... they just take so long and don't benefit me and you're better off to hear what's going on right from the passage itself.

So King Jehoiakim doesn't like what the scrolls have to say, or all the warnings they have. Due to this dislike, he goes right ahead and burns them. He pays for it later. Also, people did not listen, probably also because they didn't like what the scroll said. They suffered for it later. Really the scroll was, in a way, listing punishments they would receive if they didn't apologize for breaking the rules they did. It's like getting a warning from the school that unless your parents and teacher discuss and issue, and you write a formal apology, you will be suspended. You hold no control. Often we try and take some to change it to better terms for us. We can't. When we try to, it just gets messed up. Also, God is not okay with us trying to have the final say over His word. His word is right and is truth - that is that. We don't get to dictate things that counter what He says. When we try, we end up like Jehoiakim - in a bad place with God, and often punished for that sin of putting our self over Him. Also, when we suddenly try and dictate what we want those of us around us to hear and not hear (Jehoiakim burns the scrolls so they cannot be read to more people), the same thing will happen. The only time we are safe is when we are on God's side, like Jeremiah and Baruch, who God hid for doing His work. So make sure you're always on God's side, and don't let yourself get the better of you and do foolish things without regret, like Jehoiakim.

God bless! Shalom!