BE STRONG AND WORK

“Be strong . . . and work, for I am with you,’ says the LORD of hosts” (Haggai 2:4). Despite opposition and discouragement, the call to “work” demands perseverance, strength and unity of the Spirit! We must remain faithful in serving God, trusting in His provision and timing. God’s presence is with us. He never changes. His nearness is sure! In every season—success or failure, plenty or want—His presence remains the same! Ministry is never self-powered. The presence of the Holy Spirit supplies authority, wisdom, endurance favour and endurance. The words “I am with you” is not poetic exaggeration; it is a literal, binding pledge from the God who cannot lie. Embracing that reality transforms every moment of our lives.  Suffering is real, but so is His presence. God walks through the fire beside His children. Jesus is the 4th Man in the Fire. We are never alone! We can never lose! In Christ, we move on from victory to victory! Worship God!

TO UPROOT AND TO PLANT

“But the Lord said to me: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. 8 Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord. 9 Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. 10 See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant” (Jer 1:7-10)

To uproot the weeds and to plant seeds for the harvest is a prophetic command, not just daily work. We must answer: Yes, Sir! Yes, Lord! When God personally called Jeremiah to the office of a prophet, he was a young man, about 20 years old. He had no religious experience. God commands him to go and speak His Word. Preaching God’s Word is like planting seeds in the hearts of people. The prophet is not to alter or omit any part of the Word given to him. Jeremiah will be as God’s mouthpiece. He was to speak every Word God gives to him, regardless of personal fear or opposition. God is sovereign in His calling. He chooses whom He wills, regardless of age, gender, educational or social level or self-perceived inadequacies, to fulfill His purposes. Our human weaknesses never hinder God’s plans. When God calls, He empowers and equips for the task. God commands Jeremiah: “Do not be afraid of their faces for I am with you to deliver you!” God tells Jeremiah that he needs courage in face of opposition. As a nation, Judah was backsliding. Jeremiah must stand and speak against kings, priests and people. God promises to “deliver” Jeremiah. This deliverance is both spiritual and physical. Amen!

“Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth”. God takes the initiative in calling Jeremiah and empowering Him to be a prophet. This is God’s hand, God’s touch, God’s words. False prophets call themselves, but Jeremiah is called by God. His ministry is divinely ordained. God’s hand touches Jeremiah’s mouth and gives him God’s Words. From now, Jeremiah’s words are not his own, but God’s. Jesus is the Living Word. He speaks God’s Words with ultimate authority. God’s words in Jeremiah’s mouth gives him the necessary confidence to confront the people with their sins and tell them to repent.

“See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant”. God commissions Jeremiah “This day”. It is an immediate ordination. Jeremiah’s words will affect not only Judah but other nations. His words combine God’s judgment and mercy. To root out weeds represent longstanding strongholds of sin. To pull down means to destroy structures and attitudes that oppose God’s will, especially pride. To destroy means total defeat. Nothing is left standing and there are no survivors. During Jeremiah’s time Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians and all God’s people were taken into exile. This destruction of sinful strongholds is a picture of the victory of Christ on the Cross, and complete destruction of evil when He comes again.

To Build and to plant show God’s mercy in Judgment. To plant seeds is a picture of God as a Sower, establishing His Kingdom on earth.

Jesus said: “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted” (Matt 15:13). Plants that God uproots are the tares planted by the devil among the wheat (Matt 13:24-43), false doctrines, false brethren, works of the flesh, bitterness, envy, anxiety, pride. Lessons: Trust in God’s sovereignty to uproot what is not from Him. He is in control and will purify His church. Be vigilant in discerning teachings and doctrines. Not everything that appears religious is rooted in God’s truth. Ensure your faith and life are deeply rooted in Christ, as He is the source of spiritual life and growth. God never exposes a weed without offering power to uproot it. As we submit to His Word and Spirit, every foreign plant must give way to the fruitful garden He intends our lives to be. Amen!

Lessons for us:

*We are called to speak God’s truth faithfully, regardless of our personal feelings of inadequacy. Obedience is key! God blesses obedience!

*God is always with the people He calls. Christ promises to always be with us to deliver us from all troubles.

*We are encouraged to be bold in our faith, knowing God is with always with us!

*Divine calling creates its own competence. Divine sending guarantees sufficient power. Divine speech supplies never ending content. Therefore, we can advance without fear, certain that the One who commands also equips. Evaluate leaders by fidelity to God’s Word, not charisma or credentials. Submit to rightful authority while recognizing God as the ultimate source.

*Fear is a choice we can resist, not an emotion that can’t be avoided. Fear shrinks when we remember who stands beside us.

*God knows everything, even our hearts. He knows that we are afraid and He speaks to us even before challenges come.

*The command “fear not” is in the present tense: continuous, moment-by-moment refusal to let fear decide our actions.

*What is The Basis for Courage? God’s Presence with us. The Lord’s presence is Personal (“I”), constant (“am”) and intimate (“with you”)

*“I am with you, to deliver you!”. God’s deliverance is active and not passive. God anticipates opposition but guarantees ultimate safety.

*Deliverance may mean removal from danger or strength in danger, but it always means God’s plan overcomes human threats.

*God’s pattern—first uprooting and after that planting—reveals God’s method with both people and nations. God removes only to plant!

*We must uproot hidden sinful roots that God has not blessed because they draw life from the soil. False doctrines that dilute the Gospel, secret sins that grow bellow the surface, bitterness, unforgiveness, pride, addictive patterns of bondage, idols, legalism and empty religion.

*What seeds do we plant: preach and teach God’s Word; pray for others; do good deeds to help others, in the name of Jesus!

*Identify your local “soil.” Walk your streets, listen, and learn what breaks God’s heart in your city. Bind and reject territorial spirits!

*Plant seeds having the harvest in mind. Building and planting imply patience; fruit often appears slowly.

*There is hope ahead: God plants righteousness where once wickedness thrived. What God plants and builds, endures forever!

DO NOT BE LAZY!

“The lazy man does not plow when the winter [planting] season arrives; So he begs at the [next] harvest and has nothing [to reap]” (PV20:4; AMP). “The lazy man says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion is in the streets!” (PV 26:13).

In the Bible, spiritual and physical Laziness is sin. It is always condemned by God. A lazy man, also called sluggard or slacker, does not plow the ground or plant seeds during the season of planting. He ignores and rejects God’s appointed seasons. A lazy man is one unwilling to work or take initiative. He avoids responsibilities, mental or physical effort, is passive, delays or does minimum work, he is full of excuses. He imagined lions on the streets. Lions do not go where there are may people. The lazy person has a victim mentality and is full of self-pity. He complains that work is hard and the boss is harsh. He likes to stay idle. He fails to finish his projects. In relationships he is irresponsible, shifts blame on others and spreads discouragement around. A sluggard is a lazy, sleepy, slow-moving person; he oversleeps and is late to work or to his class. This is why he fails his exams, losses his job, and cannot make progress in life. If you’re looking for the sluggard in your family, you’ll probably find him sitting on the couch looking at his phone. No coach wants a lazy man in his football team! Selah!

Lessons for us:

*The result of laziness is poverty, bareness and frustration. Opportunity relates to seasons. Procrastination makes labour to be useless.

*Work with the future (eternity) in view. The lazy man has no vision for the future. He looks for food only when he is hungry but at that time, it is too late to find food. The lazy man’s hope for harvest will be disappointed. Lazy people end up being beggars! Selah!

*Be responsible, diligent and wise. Provision for family (1 Tim 5:8) and generosity to others means diligent labour.

*Jesus Christ is our Model of Diligence. He said: “My Father is always at His work and I too am working” (Jn 5:17). His earthly ministry—healing, teaching, cross, and resurrection—shows tireless obedience. We are called to “follow in His steps” (1 Pet 2:21).

*Paul said: “If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat” (2 Thess 3:10). “Let us not grow weary… for in due time we will reap” (Gal 6:9). *Eternal reward stands behind temporal effort! Plant seeds now, and you will surely have a great harvest, in heaven and on earth! Selah!

Laziness in marriage is a serious source of loneliness and frustration that can lead to divorce. A lazy husband or wife avoids house chores, taking responsibility, withdraws from emotional encouragement, neglects personal growth and prefers being idle and relaxation. The source may be depression and fear of failure. What can the other spouse do in this situation? Pray! Communicate and not nag! Encourage when you see some effort of improvement. Build up the Team called Marriage. And finally, do not lower your standards. Do not say, “if she does not care, I will also not care”. Be loving, patient and prayerful! With God, all things are possible! Amen! Worship the Lord!