PART 1

In Psalms 31:15 we read: “Our times are in Thy hand….” By faith, we who love the Lord Jesus Christ can gladly respond, “Father, we wish them there”! But can we always truly say from our hearts that we desire God’s will rather than our own? as believers today, we know by experience and also by the Word of God that troubles and trials are sure to come as we walk through a world which has been corrupted by sin. Thankfully, for the Christian, we know that our loving Lord Jesus Christ is with us all along life’s journey. In John 16: 33 we are told “…In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Come what may in this life, we are counseled by the Word of God to not only be of good cheer, but to “…be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” What comfort these truths should bring to the child of God, even given the common vicissitudes of this life. By the precious promises of God’s Word, we need never allow our thoughts to give way to anxious fears.

But now as we ponder these things, I am reminded of Jeremiah 45 where we read about a man named Baruch who became anxious about his future after hearing of the coming tragedy for Judah. This chapter appears to be a special message of admonition from God to Baruch in response to the anxious words which he had spoken after writing the prophetic words of Jeremiah in a book. Jeremiah 45:1-3 reads as follows: “The word that Jeremiah the prophet spake unto Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written these words in a book at the mouth of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto thee, O Baruch: Thou didst say, Woe is me now! for the LORD hath added grief to my sorrow; I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest.” Now what was it which caused Baruch to voice such self-pitying words as we find in verse 3? Perhaps it was the humbling prospect of having his country overrun by a heathen nation which vexed his soul; but given God’s exhortation to Baruch in verse 5 not to seek great things for himself, I rather imagine that a spirit of self-seeking might have existed in the heart of Baruch. Whatever this scribe had been thinking, we know that God heard his words, and God cited them back to this scribe verbatim in order to bring about correction.

My dear friends, have you ever thought or spoken such anxious words as Barach spoke in verse 3? It has now been some 50 years since I received the diagnosis that I would someday become blind, this while I was in my first year of dental college. Certainly, my heart failed me as I looked ahead to what I feared would be a dismal future, which would be far from what I had dreamed for myself. And why is it that a true believer would say such things in the face of adversity? The answer in a word is the flesh. Satan will often use the more unpleasant experiences of our sojourn here in this scene to tempt us through our flesh  to doubt and to fear.  Now God heard the words and thoughts of Baruch, as He hears and knows all of our thoughts. Nothing is hidden from God! In Hebrews 4:12 and 13, we see that the Word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, and in verse 13 we see: “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” Our God hears and notes every idle word that our tongues may speak (Matthew 12: 36), but thankfully as in the case of Baruch, our loving Father will not leave His children with our anxious fears, but will act to correct and encourage our souls by His precious Word.

My dear friends, do we become anxious or dissatisfied with our lot in life when the goals and desires we cherish for ourselves are threatened? I believe that one of the weaknesses of our flesh is that inward desire to seek and pursue our own will and ambitions. The Scriptures above will perhaps serve as an exhortation, not only as the Word of God was for Baruch of old,  but as well for us all, to focus our eyes on our kind and gracious Lord, despite what we think we see through our fleshly eyes, and to place our confidence and trust in the precious promises of the Word of God. We might recall 2 Corinthians 12:9: “…My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” It may seem a hard statement that we as believers can gladly glory in our infirmities, but through the abiding power of the Holy Spirit, and through faith in God’s Word, we surely can realize this kind of faith, and we can experience the peace of God, even in the face of great trials. As Christians, we can rest assured that the Lord knows what is best for His children, and thankfully He gives us what we truly need rather than what we might personally desire.

Now we know from the Scriptures that God indeed has a complete and perfect plan for each and every one of us. In Psalms 139:1-5 we read: “O lord, Thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou                 understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, Thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid Thine hand upon me.” God knows everything about us, but His knowledge of us is not just a head knowledge but one with benevolent intentions toward us.

But now, how do believers respond to those times when we experience the more unpleasant realities of our sojourn through this fallen world, those times which try our very souls? Need we ever fear that God’s loving plan for us has somehow gone awry? Certainly, we need not fear! Our kind and gracious God has all the events of our lives well in His control according to His sovereign design, and He never makes mistakes. In Deuteronomy 32:4 we read: “He is the Rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He.” God knows what He is doing, and He doesn’t make any mistakes-He hath done all things well (Mark 7:37). Therefore, as believers on the Lord Jesus Christ, we must never doubt or question God’s actions, even when we encounter those unpleasant things that we simply do not understand. We can know beyond any doubt that God’s divine plans for us and for this world will unfold perfectly, and everything He allows in our lives will ultimately turn to our good (Romans 8:28). In Jeremiah 29:11 we read: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

PART 2

What are you seeking in this life; what is your hope for the future? In Jeremiah 45, we read of a scribe named Baruch who may have been seeking great things for himself, despite the judgment from God which was about to come upon his country. In this chapter, we find that Baruch wrote down and believed the prophesy of Jeremiah concerning the coming judgment upon Judah, this judgment being brought on by the continuing sins of the nation, and the coldness of their hearts toward their God. And yet, by Barach’s very words we see that  despite this coming calamity, he became occupied with his own future prospects. Thus, the Word of the Lord in this chapter appears to be directed to Baruch himself. In Jeremiah 45:3, we read the words spoken by Baruch in the face of the coming disaster, and his own anxious thoughts were  reflected back to him by the God who hears our every thought and word: “Woe is me now! for the LORD hath added grief to my sorrow; I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest.” These words of Baruch expressed real self-concern to be sure. And yet unhappily, I fear that such anxious words have not been so very uncommon in my own heart when facing times of extreme stress. But now verses 4 and 5 go on to relate God’s very personal exhortation to Baruch regarding these words which he had spoken. We read: “…The LORD saith thus; Behold, that which I have built will I break down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up, even this whole land. And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the LORD: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest.” Judgment was coming upon all the nation of Judah, and this would undoubtedly affect Baruch and any future plans which he might have had. But Baruch was not to seek anything for himself in all of this. He, I believe, was being exhorted to bow to the will of God, and to put his trust for the future in God’s hands.

My dear friends, we know from God’s Word that judgment is coming upon this earth, given that most in this world have not repented of their sins and sought the forgiveness which is through Christ Jesus alone (Acts 4:12; Acts 17:30, 31). The sins of our world are growing in intensity over time, and this sin impacts believers as well since sin is the root cause of this world’s fallen condition. God is so kind, that He has warned mankind repeatedly through His blessed Word, the Bible, that man must repent and seek God’s forgiveness for salvation from the judgment called for in God’s law. This warning to our world is not so different than Jeremiah’s prophetic warning to Judah of the coming judgment, yet man over the years has in large part turned a deaf ear to God’s pleading, which was certainly the case at the time of Jeremiah and Baruch. Thankfully, God does not bring on this judgment to our modern world immediately, nor without plenty of forewarning. Our God is loving, and He is long suffering, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). But, and make no mistake here, judgment is indeed coming, and I would pray that my dear reader, if you are not already saved, would turn to the Lord and seek His forgiveness while there is yet time. In Acts 17:30 and 31 we read: “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent: Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained (that is the Lord Jesus); whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead.” There is nothing permanent to be gained by pursuing the things of this fallen world, and everything to be gained, including the peace of God and life eternal through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Despite all the turbulence and craziness of this present world, which we see all around us, we who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ can know with assurance that our God cares for His children. He is in ultimate control of our lives from beginning to end (Psalms 139:1-15), and we therefore can assert with all assurance that for those who love God, all will be well in the end, come what may in this scene. Romans 8:28 reminds us: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”

In Jeremiah 45:4 and 5, God exhorted Baruch not to be hoping for great things for himself in this life. God Himself would surely bring about severe judgments on all of Judah, and these would impact Baruch as well as the ungodly of Judah. In all of this, God assured Baruch of but one thing, and that one thing was his life wherever he might be sent. It may be that Baruch would not gain wealth or social prominence in his future; in fact, he might simply become a slave in Babylon, but God would protect his life wherever he might be sent after the judgment of Judah had come to pass. Baruch was not to seek great things for himself in this life, and neither are we who are the children of God, sojourning in this sin-sick world. We all, my fellow believers, are to walk by faith, even in the face of great trials (Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38), desiring not our own will for our lives, but only God’s will for us.

My dear friends, what truly are the intentions of our hearts? Do we secretly long for the approbation of men, or some level of wealth or personal status in this world? The Bible never promises the Christian wealth or worldly distinction, nor even a smooth and peaceful pathway. In fact, in John 16:33 we see quite the contrary: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Baruch of old was promised only his life as his spoil through the judgments to come. And what are believers promised today, given the soon return of our Lord Jesus Christ to the earth to judge the ungodly? we are promised salvation and eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord (John 3:16; Romans 6:23). Additionally, we Christians have been given the precious promises of God’s Word, come what may. To name just a few of these precious promises,  we are promised “all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3), And we are promised the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ in all of life’s circumstances (Matthew 28:20), and Christ Jesus further promises us His peace all along our way through this wilderness trek (John 14:27). Come what may in this scene, we can praise our wonderful Savior and Lord: “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits…,” (Psalms 103:1, 2).

PART 3

In Jeremiah 45:5 we read the Word of God for Baruch the scribe of Jeremiah: “And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the LORD: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest.” I have no doubt that hearing about the terrible judgment which was about to break upon the nation of Judah because of their sins, Baruch was tempted to be anxious about his own future dreams and prospects. Baruch was told by God not to seek great things for himself, but do we Christians today ever seek great things for ourselves? And if our prayers are not answered in the way we desire, do we become discouraged and anxious? I think of the hours I have spent in prayer and supplication for some specific dream that has captured my heart, only to have the heavens remain silent. The Bible tells us that our loving Lord hears and responds to our prayers, and yet, though we know that God hears our prayers, the answer we receive can be quite different than what we expect and hope for. 1 John 5:14, 15 reads: “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.” So are we praying according to His will and not for our own will? Faith would remind us that we can always trust the Lord to provide for what is according to His will. Our loving God will faithfully provide what is truly needful rather than that which we merely desire. The Lord Jesus said, “…for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you,“ (Matthew 6:32, 33). There certainly can be many personal desires that would appeal to the flesh, but  for the child of God, there is only one thing that is truly needful, and that is the Lord Himself. God’s message to Abram, which is found in Genesis 15:1 reads as follows: “Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.” And consider this-we who are the children of God can also claim the promise that God Himself is our shield and our exceeding great reward ! Christians have all that we need and could ever hope for in our Lord Jesus Christ, and thus the desire to seek great things for ourselves is not necessary for the Christian. Self-seeking may indeed be harmful to our spiritual growth and can  also be quite distracting to our desire for the perfect will of God for our lives.

Sadly enough, while yet in this scene, our flesh will tend to seek the things of the earth rather than the things of heaven. Paul noted in Philippians 2:21: “All seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s….” So how can we avoid the pitfall of a self-seeking heart? The Bible tells us in Colossians 3:1-3: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” What more could the child of God desire? All the riches and distinctions that this world can offer are not lasting but are going away, to be replaced by that which is heavenly and eternal. 1 John 2:16 tells us plainly: “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

My dear friends, I believe that if we find ourselves to be discontented when we are faced with unpleasant prospects which might threaten to deny us a treasured dream of fame or fortune in this world, we should take it to the Lord in prayer for His  wisdom, for we read: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him,” (James 1:5). We must also look to the Word of God which is a “discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart,” (Hebrews 4:12). I sometimes think of young Moses, brought up in the house of Pharoah, educated in the arts and wisdom of the day, with all the advantages and power which could be afforded to him there. He willingly gave up a future of personal greatness in order to join his captive people, and to  obey and follow God’s direction which would one day place him in a position to lead the children of Israel to the promised land, regardless of all the dangers and exertions that would be involved (Hebrews 11:24). Moses was willing to give up the wealth and power offered by this world because he valued more the service of the God of heaven. So let it be for us all! My dear friends, God knows and cares about His children, and He is faithful to fulfill His precious promises which we find in His Word, the Bible. Let us therefore, as children of the King, be glad to allow God to lead us, and to give us what He alone knows we truly need rather than what our hearts may see as desirable in this fallen world, for how can all the status and riches of this present scene compare in the slightest to the riches that we have in Christ Jesus? Thus, when we are tempted to look upon the treasures of which this fallen world boasts, let the prayer of our hearts be: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting,” (Psalms 139:23,24). By faith alone, we can commit our way to the Lord (Psalms 37:4,5), and God through His Holy Spirit and His Word will surely lead us according to His perfect will. We must also remember that when faith gives way to the eyes of the flesh, God may bring discipline into our lives to correct us and to confirm our faith. In Hebrews 12:11 we read: “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”

Blessings to all,

Steven J. Faulkner