A Little Bit of Heaven on Earth

Jeremiah 9:1-7 Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people! (2) Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men. (3) And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD. (4) Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders.

Jeremiah known as the weeping prophet.
He was heartbroken; he was weeping because of a hard hearted people who had forsaken God and were facing God’s punishment.
God sent him to warn Judah to repent of their idolatry and wickedness and turn back to God.
God’s judgment was coming soon; Judah rejected God’s prophets who told them to repent, but gladly listened to false prophets.
Speaking of them:

Jeremiah 8:11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

The false prophets told the people not to worry, there would be peace.
Even after Babylon conquered Judah the false prophets said that God would restore Judah in two years, not the seventy years of captivity Jeremiah prophesied.
Because he saw the wickedness, preached against it, but had no effect Jeremiah wanted to get away.
Verse two said he was looking for lodging in the wilderness.
He was looking for a place away from the troubles, a place to go while he was discouraged.
He was thinking of something better in life.
Like we at times think of how great heaven will be.
We all would like to be where the troubles and wickedness of the world are left behind for a while.
Jeremiah was seeking a place away from his people of whom he referred to as: "Adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men".
"They bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil".
As we live in this world we are constantly bombarded by the wickedness around us.
If you listen to or read the news you see daily things that would be shocking if we were not used to seeing evil upon evil.
Congress has a fund to pay to cover up their sexual escapades.
That might be a shock, except my brother reminded me the other day that one year my uncle wanted to write on his tax form that he didn’t want his money paying for the congressmen’s sex exploits.
This was many years ago.
We read of the Hollywood gang demanding sex to further actress’s careers.
From the vileness of what movies come from Hollywood this should be of no surprise.
I read a news column where the author said the next fallout will be college professors who have demanded sex for good grades.
Idolatry is rampant around us.
Our nation is filled with violence.
Drunkenness and drug addiction is everywhere.
Not to mention sodomy, adultery and fornication.
As Jeremiah longed to get away, we also look for a place of lodging away from the evils of the world.
God has provided us a place; His local New Testament church.

To feel at home in this lodging you must have God’s gift of salvation

John 3:16-18 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (18) He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Jesus brought salvation to all who believe.
Those who do not believe condemn themselves.
Paul preached the gospel to any who would listen.

Acts 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Church does not get you to heaven, but you can hear how to get to heaven in a real church.
Salvation is of repentance and faith.
Repentance is not a popular subject with modern Christianity.
Repentance is not a good work, but a heart open to what God wants for you.
Allowing God to change you to the image of His Son.
An old preacher once said of salvation, “If you is what you was, you ain’t”.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Too many want to live in sin and tell any who will listen how great of Christians they are.
Being saved is the most important decision we make in this life.
You make the choice before you die.
If you do not make the decision; or you are sitting on the fence, you condemn yourself to an eternity in hell.
The choice is made here; you have no choice when you step into eternity.

The Lord paid for our lodging: the local church

Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

1 Peter 1:18-19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; (19) But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Jesus Christ paid for our souls.
He paid for the church; the members of the local church.
Some will claim all are in the universal invisible church.
That usage twists the meaning of “Ecclesia” the word translated “Church”.
It means a called out assembly.
You can’t have an invisible or universal assembly.
Our salvation and ability to join the local church was paid for by Jesus on the cross.
A gift to us; of great price for the Lord.

Jesus is the only way into our lodging; the church

John 14:6 Jesussaith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Jesus is the way to salvation; no other way.
All are welcome to come to church.
Those in need of salvation can hear the gospel and choose salvation.
After salvation they can choose to join the church.
Peter preached the gospel on the day of Pentecost after Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection.
Many accepted Christ for their savior.

Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

They were added to that first church at Jerusalem when they were baptized.
To be members of an Independent Baptist Church you must have Independent Baptist Baptism.
Baptism has nothing to do with salvation but is the way to membership into church.
Being baptized is being obedient to God after salvation.

We are secure in the Lord

Hebrews 13:5-6 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (6) So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

With the Lord as our helper we do not have to live in fear.

Romans 8:28-31 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. (29) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (30) Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. (31) What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

If we love God, He promises to work out all things for our good.
Sometimes we may see no good coming from bad things.
I think of the church shooting in Texas and know that God will use it for good; but I don’t know how.
But I believe His promises.
He calls all to salvation.
Those who receive that gift are justified.
Then God tells us that they are glorified.
To God when we get saved we are already citizens of heaven.
Remember He calls us strangers and pilgrims on earth.
Our real home is with Him in heaven.
We did nothing to earn salvation, we can do nothing to lose it when we have it.

1 Peter 5:6-7 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: (7) Casting all your care upon him; for hecareth for you.

God cares for us as individuals and as members of His church.

Jesus provides us with His word so we know how to conduct ourselves in this lodging

1 Timothy 3:14-15 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: (15) But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

God’s word gives us the guidance we need in our church.
How to behave; how to live for God.

1 Timothy 4:13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

Earlier I spoke of troubles many are facing because of their sexual sins.
Though many of them are lost and don’t care about God’s word, we as Christians can save ourselves many problems if we apply God’s word to our lives.
Even godly men and women can do stupid things when they ignore the Bible.

Ephesians 5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

Be careful how you walk; the way you live.
Using the knowledge God provides, applying it to your lives makes you wise.
Thinking about what you are doing.
Ask yourself; “Could what I am doing look evil to someone else”.
If so don’t do it.
An example many of those who have been accused of sexual misdeeds could use:

1 Corinthians 7:1-2 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. (2) Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

I avoid hugging women with a passion.
I have my wife to hug, I don’t want to hug other women.
Some churches promote hugging; if the ladies want to hug each other that is fine.
A friend of mine went to a church where they stood and the preacher told them to hug the people around them.
He left and never went back; it made him uncomfortable.
Joe Biden and others have been accused of making women very uncomfortable.
He had to put his hands on them and get very close to them.
“It is good for a man not to touch a women”.
Shaking hands is good for me.

To be in good standing in God’s lodging we must follow His word

James 1:21-25 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. (22) But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (23) For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: (24) Forhebeholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. (25) But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

God expects those in His church to live a decent life.
We won’t live perfectly, but must strive to follow His word.
If we hear, or read His word and don’t live according to it we deceive ourselves.
The Bible is a mirror that will show us our reflection.
The mirror in the bathroom does not lie.
I have wrinkles, spots and grey hair; I feel young in my mind but that mirror tells the truth.
The Bible shows the wrinkles and spots in our lives.
We can see ourselves in it and try to do better, or we can ignore what we see and deceive ourselves.
We must strive to be doers of His word not just hearers.
Bad enough sin in someone’s life calls for expulsion from the church.

1 Corinthians 5:1-2 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. (2) And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

In the church at Corinth, a man was sleeping with his stepmother; “His fathers wife”.
We won’t read more, but Paul tells them that this member must be removed from the church.
He speaks of a little leaven, (sin) spreading through the church.
He says he has already judged this man and he must be put out of the church.
In 2Corinthians the man has repented; turned from his sin, Paul then tells them to accept the man back into the church.
God expects His church members to strive for holy living.

We can see out of our lodging but should be careful

Psalms 101:3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.

When we look out into the world we see many things that are enticing to our eyes.
We need to be careful.
We have a sin nature that tends to lead us where we look.
When we see something we shouldn’t if we look to God and not the evil we will be much better off.
Racing motocross; look where you want to go not at the bad places you want to avoid.
At one race there was a rock about the size and shape of a bowling ball in the middle of the track.
I looked at where I wanted to go every lap, but on the last lap I looked right at it.
I headed straight for it, I decided it was no big deal and I would just ride over it.
When my back tire hit it, the bike shot sideways, threw me off and I went bouncing across the track.
Look towards the goodness of God and away from the evils of the world.

God wants us to praise Him while we are in His church

Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

James 5:13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

Ephesians 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

When we meet as a church we sing songs of praise to God.
In Sunday School we sing some of the Psalms and other Bible verses.
It is to praise God.
We sing the old hymns because they point to God and give Him the glory.
Christian rock and rap give the musicians the glory.

God talks to us while we lodge in His church

2 Timothy 4:2-4 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. (3) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; (4) And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

When we meet with God it is to hear from Him.
That is why we read so many verses.
It takes time to turn to them, but they are the very words of God to us.
If I read one verse and talk for forty five minutes you hear my opinion on things.
My job is to preach God’s word.
The apostle Paul called it the whole counsel of God.
The easy things to hear; the milk of God’s word.
The things that go against our sin nature; the meat of God’s word.
Baptists must endure sound doctrine; the things that go against our flesh, but please God.
Far too many Christians would rather hear fables than good, historical, Bible doctrine.

God’s lodging the church is a little bit of heaven on earth

We can gather as brethren in Christ in church.
Our short time in church is time away from the wickedness of the world.
We are in our lodging in the wilderness here where God can speak to us.
He can give us a time of rest from the troubles and cares of our lives.
When we sing praises to God and glorify Him with our attendance we practice what we will someday do in His presence.
We worship God in church; someday we will do it in heaven.