Good Morning Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
We’ve been talking about “image builders,” those Scriptures God has given us to build up the image, not an image, but the image of a man and woman of God as He sees us. A wonderful set of Scriptures that distinctly create a vastly different image of the unsaved person and/or the carnal Believer and the Believer fully persuaded is Jeremiah 17:5-8.
Jeremiah 17:5-8
5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.
6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.
7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
Verses 5-6 speak of the unsaved person or the carnal Believer (one who believes in Christ as the risen King but lives more like the world than the man or woman of verses 7-8). Our Father tells us if we trust in men, if our belief in what man has to say is our strength, then our hearts have departed from Him. The result of this is in verse 6. The “heath” is a dried-up plant that looks ragged, is stiff, breaks easily, and is uprooted easily. It is a plant that barely survives in the parched places, the desert, and in the salt lands. It is accustomed to living and getting by with very little moisture and sustenance. There’s not much life in this plant, and it eventually dries up completely and dies. It has lived a harsh life in harsh surroundings.
On the other hand, look at the description of the Believer, who is fully persuaded of God’s Word, in verses 7-8. Verse 7 describes the state of the soul (mind, will, emotions) of the blessed Believer. They trust in the LORD and their “certainty” (this is the Biblical definition of “hope;” not the 50/50 “hope” of today. “I hope it happens.”) is in The Word of God. What is the appearance of the fully persuaded Believer according to verse 8? A tree planted by the “waters.” Not just planted by the water, but by the “waters.” This means there shall be NO LACK – EVER. There is ALWAYS plenty of The Blessing of the Lord, always an ample supply. Note that not only is the Believer planted by “waters,” but we spread our roots by the river. Who is this river? Yes, Jesus Christ. Colossians 2:7 tells us we are to be “rooted and built up in Him.” A river is a huge body of ever flowing water.
The part of verse 8 that I love is the promise the fully persuaded Believer “shall not see when heat comes.” What does “heat” signify? Anything of the curse: bad health, financial struggles, lack of material possessions, marriage struggles, depression, oppression, fear, grieving, wayward children, etc. But Larry, I’m already experiencing some or all of this. Am I cursed? No, you’ve been redeemed from the curse by Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:13-14, 29), and you are the seed of Abraham in Jesus Christ. This means you are free of the curse, unless you willingly put yourself under it, and you have the material and physical blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12:1-2)and the Spiritual blessings of the Christ Covenant (Ephesians 1:3). Both Covenants are yours. And Jesus can deliver you and yours from the curse and anything you are currently suffering through by becoming fully persuaded in His Word, in God’s promises through Jesus Christ for you (II Corinthians 1:20).
Jeremiah 17:8 says, “her leaf shall be green.” This is referring to our health. A fully persuaded Believer will have divine health and have a quality life and a long life. We will not be decrepit, have a failing mind, physical sufferings and inability to get around and do things. Moses at 120 years of age climbed Mount Nebo and The Word states his eyesight was not dimmed and his strength was unabated. Wow. This is ME! Yes, sir. I call things that be not (still to come) as though they were (Romans 4:17) as our Father has commanded us.
“And shall not be careful in the year of drought.” We’re into a year of drought that is going to get worse. This is speaking of an economic downturn. But God’s children are not to be impacted by an economic downturn. In fact, we’re to actually have our best years during an economic downturn. This is how the world can see the hand of Almighty God upon His children who believe Him and are fully persuaded of His Word.
Job 5:22
At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.
Famine is another word for drought, and both are words for an economic downturn. A fully persuaded Believer laughs at the intended destruction and famine of Satan, because both are of the curse. And we as Believers have been redeemed from the curse. It’s not to affect us unless we allow it to do so. YOU’RE NOT A GRASSHOPPER, so don’t think and act like one. Praise God The Father and King Jesus we can laugh during times of famine because of the power and goodness of our Father’s Word.
Lastly, God’s Word tells us we shall not stop yielding fruit. The fruit is good works. There is a reason “And shall not be careful in the year of drought” and “neither shall cease from yielding fruit” are together in the verse. You will find this appropriately defined by the Holy Spirit through Paul in II Corinthians 9:6-11.
II Corinthians 9:6-11
6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.
10 Now He [God] that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)
11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.
The above verses, as related to Jeremiah 17:8, completely explain what Jeremiah 17:8 is saying. During a famine, Believers will increase their giving. Why? Because those that are fully persuaded are so blessed they have more to bless others with during this time. If you want to be blessed, don’t sow sparingly. In a downturn, don’t sow sparingly. Sow bountifully. This is the Spiritual Law of Sowing and Reaping. It works all the time and every single time – in faith. This is why the Prophet Jeremiah, through the Holy Spirit, wrote that we WON’T CARE about an economic downturn. It doesn’t impact us. In fact, we’re increasing (Read about Isaac’s experience during a severe famine in Genesis 26).
In closing, remember – YOU ARE NOT A GRASSHOPPER! You are a child of the Most High God, the younger Sister and Brother to our Elder Brother and King Jesus Christ. If God be for you, who can be against you! You have a choice – believe and prosper in all areas of your life or hang on until you reach Heaven. When we stand before Jesus Christ, our Judge, at the Bema Seat, we’ll be rewarded for how fully persuaded we were on this earth. This will be the last place tears are shed. Let’s press forward being fully persuaded so when we stand before OUR KING, we hear these words, “Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”
In Christ,
Larry