May it please Almighty God to
bless us together as we meditate in His Word this morning. Let
us turn to the prophecy of Jeremiah, chapter 10, and reading verse
23. The prophecy of Jeremiah, chapter
10, and reading verse 23. O Lord, I know that the way of
man is not in himself. It is not in man that walketh
to direct his steps. This chapter commences with these
words, Hear ye the word which the Lord speaketh unto you, O
house of Israel. So clearly, it is a word that
is directed to the Church of God, and it is a word that is
directed to us today. And then just to comment on the
next verse, where the Lord says, learn not the way of the heathen
something perhaps which we don't really take on board as we should
do and especially you younger ones you teenagers and younger
perhaps to remember that there is in the world in which we live
many ways which are not godly ways They are ways of evil and
they are ways spoken of here as the ways of the heathen. The heathen, of course, do not
fear God. The heathen follow their own
way. The heathen do those things which please themselves. They
have no concern really to do those things which are commanded
by Almighty God. And so the Lord tells us here
very clearly to learn not So we're not to follow those things
which are wrong. There are so many things in the
world today which are wrong. And yet we need discernment to
understand those things which are wrong. And very often, the
devil will tell us, well, in actual fact, there's no harm
in it. Well, when the devil tells us
that, we should be very conscious that perhaps there is harm in
it. because he wouldn't be saying
that otherwise. So we need to analyze everything that we are
potentially getting involved in. There are many temptations
at school and at university and college and in the workplace
today. There is so much evil abounding
and people take that which is wrong as though it's done. Well, the common expression is
this, well, everybody does it. that doesn't make it right sometimes
you may find you may have to be almost alone in standing against
things which the heathen love to follow and we do find there
is so much evil around today I don't need to go through a
whole list you will know in your own heart the things which are
wrong and the things which are right and we are to turn away
from every appearance of evil not things which may perhaps
be very clearly wrong but every appearance of evil you and I
are to turn away from well I thought I would just make one or two
comments on that this morning because it is very relevant.
Learn not the way of the heathen. It's written there by our God
to give us a warning and to instruct us and we should be very aware
of it. and not to pass over it, so that
when we come into any time of temptation, things which may
appear to be a bit dodgy, may not appear to really be in accordance
with the Word of God, we are to turn away from it. Indeed
we are to flee from it. and we see that the Lord will
direct us and bless us. Well now let's turn more to this
verse that I read this morning. Oh Lord I know. Jeremiah is speaking positively
here, isn't he? He's saying, oh Lord I know that
the way of man is not in himself. It is not in man that walketh
to direct his steps. Now what a good thing it is if
the Holy Spirit of God has shown us the relevance of such a statement
as this. Oh Lord, I know that the way
of man is not in himself. Well, there are a number of illustrations
that we can give. I thought I would first of all
commence with perhaps the most important and most vital consideration
and that is to consider indeed what the Lord Jesus Christ means
and what he has done, because naturally our old nature, our
natural self, does not want to accept what the Lord Jesus Christ
has said, does not want to follow his good and gracious and glorious
example, does not want to do that which is for the honour
and glory of our God. You see, those things are not
in ourself. We want to follow the things
of the world. That's why perhaps the Prophet
spoke in this way and said, learn not the way of the heathen. Our
natural minds, our natural bent, our old nature goes after the
things of this world, the things which are, I know that the way
of man is not in himself. God's ways are not our ways. God's ways are higher than our
ways. And if you just ponder that for
a moment, to think that God's ways are so much more glorious
because his ways are to direct us to the Lord Jesus Christ. Man by nature, you and I by nature,
would not consider the Lord Jesus Christ. We would just count him
as an historical figure. We would not realize that he
is the savior of mankind. We would not realize. He is the
Son of God. We will not realise he is the
second person in the Trinity. And even if we were told so,
such considerations would just go over our mind, over our head,
and we would carry on in our life, doing those things which
pleased ourselves, rather than desiring to please our God. So here is this statement, O
Lord, I know, and it would be a great blessing for you and
me today if we know, if the Holy Spirit has shown us that the
way of man is not in himself. God's way is higher than our
ways. It is not in man that walketh
to direct our steps. Because of our, what we term,
fallen nature, our sinful nature, we do not follow naturally those
things which are right and those things which are good. We do
not desire to do those things which the Lord Jesus shows to
us in his word. Rather we desire to listen to
the voice of our great enemy Satan and he is very alert and
he looks for every opportunity to keep us away from the things
of God every opportunity to keep our ears locked up so that we
don't hear the things of God to keep our eyes closed so that
we don't see the right way. The devil is very active. He never sleeps. He's always
there to take every opportunity that he can in our lives to turn
us away from the things of God. Well, it'll be a wonderful, wonderful
blessing if God has come into our lives, into our hearts, and
has shown to us the way that is right, has shown to us God's
way, and has delivered us from our way. As I sometimes quote
that verse which occurs twice in the Proverbs, there is a way
that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways
of death. That's written for our encouragement. That's written for our direction
and for our instruction so that we are not to follow a way that
seems right to ourself you may remember the Apostle Paul an
outstanding character in the Word of God he desired to do
that which seemed right to him and that was to oppose the ways
set before us, the ways which were set before him with regard
to the life and death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. He
discounted them and he did all that he could to turn people
away from the truth of God. He spent his life And he thought
he was doing God's service, but he was so, so wrong. My friends,
we have to be very careful in our lives that we're not doing
those things which we think are right, but in actual fact are
wrong. So this word is very true. Oh Lord, I know that the way
of man is not in himself. We just please ourselves. Well, the Apostle Paul was wonderfully
blessed, of course. We know that in his life, and
I hope you're familiar with what happened to him, because he was
intent on committing Christians to prison, possibly to execution. And he went and he got letters
So he had a right to do this. And he was on his way to Damascus. And on that amazing day, the
Lord appeared for him, appeared to him, and he was struck down. He was struck down by the power
of Almighty God. Yes, he'd come to a time when
God would direct him and show him that it wasn't to be like
it was. In this case, it is not in man
that walketh to direct his steps. The apostle was confident that
what he was doing was right and that he, it would appear, believed
that he was doing God's will. But of course he was walking
in direct opposition And sometimes that may be like us in our lives. We may think, perhaps, that we're
doing God's will. In actual fact, we may find we're
not. We need to examine ourselves. We need to examine our motives
to see what our true desires are. And surely the great test
of our desires, of our actions is, is it for the honour and
glory of God? Or is it for our own honour and
glory? You see, the Apostle Paul was
very pleased with what he was doing. It was no doubt in his
mind for his honour and for his glory. But God came, you see,
to that time and struck him down. It's very wonderful, isn't it,
to really read these things. And we can read them in the ninth
chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, where we have the account of
God's dealings with Paul on that dramatic day. And as he journeyed,
he came near to Damascus and suddenly, There shined round
about him a light from heaven, and he fell to the earth, and
he heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest
thou me? Well, that was a very sudden
awakening, wasn't it? And what was the apostle's reaction? Who art thou, Lord? The Lord
said, I am Jesus, whom thou have persecutest. It is hard for thee
to kick against the pricks. See, what he'd been doing was
walking contrary to his conscience, contrary to those things which
he was being pricked in his mind about. He was following those
things which he desired to do. But we see, then there was a
wonderful change. And this is the most amazing
truth, and it does occur in all of our lives. If we are those
who, like the Apostle Paul, are converted. The change was this. He became trembling and astonished. When God meets with us, We tremble
before God. To realise how we've been doing
things in a wrong way for so long. Paul trembled. But a good thing is, in your
life and my life, if there's been a time when we've trembled
before God. Well, Paul trembled. And then
he asked a question. Lord, what will thou have me
to do? A very, very wonderful expression. A very, very wonderful statement. What will thou have me to do? It's a good thing, you see, if
you and I come and fall under such condemnation before Almighty
God. to desire before the Lord, what
will thou have me to do? And that really directs us to
everything in our lives. Because here it says, Jeremiah,
I know that the way of man is not in himself, It is not in
man that walketh to direct his steps. You see, the apostle had
been walking in that way that he thought was right, pleasing
to God. But when the Lord came to him,
he was totally changed. And instead of doing that, that
walketh to direct his steps, He then came and prayed honestly
from his heart, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Well, I wonder
if you and I have prayed that prayer. In our lives, I hope
more than once, there are perhaps many situations that you and
I come into and we don't know the right way. You might say,
well, you should do. Well, we don't always know the
right way. And what a blessing it is when we're able to come,
like the Apostle was, in this case and say, what wilt thou
have me to do? Well, the Lord told him, you
can rely upon God answering such a prayer. It may not be like
it was in the Apostle's case immediately. You may have to
wait for an answer. But the Lord will come and he
will answer and he will give us that which is right. And of
course, what was happening to the apostles, he was told them,
he said, Arise and go into the city and it shall be told thee
what thou must do. He wasn't told precisely what
he was going to have to do, he was told what he must do then. So he was willing, he arose from
the earth, and when his eyes were opened he saw no man, but
they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus. And
he was there three days for that sight, neither to eat nor drink. And then we know that there was
God called a man called Ananias. And Ananias saw in a vision what
the Lord spoke to him. And the Lord said, Arise, and
go into the street, which is called Straight, and inquire
in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus. For, behold,
he prayeth, and has seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in,
and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
Ananias' response was, Lord, I have heard by many of this
man how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem, and
here he hath authority from the chief priest to bind all that
call on thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go
thy way, for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before
the Gentiles. and kings and the children of
Israel. For I will show him how great
things he must suffer for my sake. Now it's good to notice
the reaction of Ananias. He was fearful of doing and coming
to Saul. But the Lord having spoken to
him, Ananias went his way. and entered into the house, and
putting his hands on him, said, Brother Saul. What an amazing
effect the word of God had to Ananias to come like that and
say, Brother Saul. He wasn't half-hearted, was he? It's a good example and a good
testimony for us today. We may come across people who
we may think are very much against God and against the things that
we believe. But if the Lord speaks, if the
Lord tells us what to do, we shouldn't doubt the word of the
Lord. And so he came and said, brothers
all, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in a way,
as thou camest that sent me, that mightest receive thy sight,
and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from
his eyes, as it had been scales, and he received sight forthwith,
and arose, and was baptized. And when he had received meat,
he was strengthened. Then we saw certain days with
the disciples which were at Damascus, and straightway he preached Christ
in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. It is a very amazing account,
isn't it? And it's a very God-glorifying account. And it's good for us
to remember such an account as we consider such words as this. As Jeremiah says, Oh Lord, I
know that the way of man is not in himself. It is not in man
that walketh to direct his steps. No, it's God that directs our
steps. And what a mercy it is if our
steps are corrected, if they've been going in a wrong way. The
next verse, just to mention it, the Prophet says, O Lord, correct
me. Perhaps the Prophet had been
going wrong. And clearly Saul wanted that
to be corrected, to do that which is now right. Now he desired
to do the will of God. And that's a great blessing for
us in our lives, to be made willing in the day of God, to do his
will and to follow his way. What a mercy then if we understand
the great truths that are recorded here in the Word of God and therefore
saw what you see and did that which was in accordance with
the will of Almighty God. What a good thing it is for us
today if we also do that which is right in the sight of God. And we have, as I mentioned,
many illustrations, but I wanted to concentrate on that great
and important one of looking and observing and viewing the
Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Because we may have turned away
from the things of God. We may have said in our hearts,
I will not have this man to reign over me. I will not follow the
Lord Jesus Christ. I will not do his will. I'm going to follow my own way.
And that is not submitting myself to the will and commands of Almighty
God. Well, what a blessing if that
has been our attitude. if we are under the blessed instruction
and teaching of the Holy Spirit, that that way which we wanted
to walk in ourselves is then taken away. And we are made willing,
like Paul, in the day of God's power. to do His will. And you know, it's a good place. And I'll tell you this, it brings
peace in our heart. We may have been in a difficult
time. I don't know. We may have been walking, as it
were, through a tempest. Everything may seem to be against
us. May as though we're in a storm. Waves are there. Nothing is smooth,
everything is difficult. Perhaps it's because we haven't
desired, as the apostle did, Lord, what wilt thou have me
to do? And then, to be so willing in
the day of his power. It is not in man that walketh
to direct his steps. Well, it'll be a blessing if
we are directed then to the Lord Jesus Christ and to realise what
he has done in order to redeem our souls. To be directed to his wonderful
love toward us. Although we perhaps have been,
perhaps we still are, I don't know. rebellious to God. To realise God's love doesn't
change. His love indeed is, it's a very
good word for it, immutable. It doesn't change. The same yesterday
and today and forever. And what a mercy if you and I
know something of that love toward us. Even if we've been obstinate,
even if we walk contrary to God, Even if we've been like the Prophet
tells us here, yes, not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
And that's what we've been doing. We've been walking to direct
our steps. We wanted to do our will. We
wanted to go our way. Well, what a mercy if God has
had mercy upon us and has not left us. to ourselves, but in
love to our soul, has directed us to himself. And to have the wonderful example
of the Lord Jesus Christ, who we're told, pleased not himself. What an example. He pleased not
himself. Who did he please? He pleased
his Father in heaven. He did his will. Not my will,
but thine be done. It's a good place, you know,
it's a right place. It's a God-honouring place. It's a place that will bring
blessing with it. It was in the case of the Apostle
Paul. It might be in our case. as we
view the glorious example of the Saviour. And in that glorious
example, recognise His wonderful love toward us. Well, we can think of God's servant
Joseph. It's a wonderful example, really. To us today, there was Joseph,
you know, he was blessed with those dreams, wasn't he? Two
dreams. which clearly told him what would
occur in his life. And he was told that his brothers
and sisters and father and mother would eventually bow down to
him. Well, that was very clear, wasn't
it? Twice he had the dream. The second
time, of course, included his parents. The first didn't. But
it was very clear about his brethren. And so it occurred when he was
a youngster, when he was a teenager, it occurred to him. And he no
doubt wondered how it would be accomplished, wondered how it
would occur. And I'm sure he would never have
thought that it would come about in the way that God ordained
for him. But as we think upon the life
of Joseph, to think that in that life, God so ordained it, that
without any doubt, it would be very clear it was the work of
God. It was a way which was not pleasing
naturally to the flesh. And indeed, we're told in the
103rd Psalm, I think it is, how he was tried. Because he was
taken captive. He was told to go by his father
to see how his brethren did. It's probably quite an interesting
request. He didn't have much to worry
about. He wandered across the countryside looking for his brethren. May well have enjoyed the walk
or the situation he had not knowing what was before him. It is not
in man that walketh to direct his steps. God had a divine purpose
for Joseph. God may have divine purposes
for us in our lives, and in order for that to be accomplished,
we may have to pass through, perhaps, times which seem very
contrary. It doesn't seem that God is in
it. But God's purpose was towards
Joseph. It was a purpose of love. It was a purpose of mercy. And the great thing was that
God was to reveal himself as that God who had revealed to
Joseph in those dreams and would bring those dreams to pass. And so in our lives, perhaps,
We may not have had a dream. We may have had a promise in
our life. And that promise doesn't seem
to be being fulfilled. In actual fact, everything seems
to be against it. Well, what happened in the life
of Joseph? If you need encouragement, ponder
Joseph's life. Think how he was taken by his
brethren. cast into that pit sold to those
merchants brought into the house of Potiphar
initially blessed and then of course his wife rose up against
him and was evil in the things that she spoke against him and
because of that he was put into prison And there he was in prison
for a good number of years. And then he was able, by God's
grace, to be able to tell the interpretation of the dreams
of the butler and the baker that had been put in that same prison
by Pharaoh. He'd asked, of course, the butler
to remember him when he came out and was delivered. But we're
told the butler forgot, forgot about it. Naturally, we would
think, how could he forget? That was a dream which had been
interpreted so accurately. How could he forget? God ordained
it. Mr. B, another two years of testing
for Jacob. Two years of difficulty, still
in the prison. until the time came for deliverance
and of course when that time came for deliverance it wasn't
half-hearted it was a wonderful deliverance something that Joseph
could not have anticipated but it was all part of God's glorious
plan of bringing to pass that dream or the dreams which Joseph
had and so in due time but of course there was still another
eight years to pass by seven years are plenty and the first
year of famine before his brethren came to Egypt well there was
a long time to wait sometimes that is so in our lives there's
a long time to wait but in the end It comes to pass. In the end. It is revealed. And therefore, the ways that
we thought of in our minds. We don't know precisely what
Joseph thought, but we know he was tried about it. We know no
doubt he prayed perhaps many times to God that there appeared
to be no possibility of the dream being brought to fruition. But
in God's time, it came to pass. And my friends, it will be so
in our lives. In God's time, and don't remember,
God has a perfect time. God has a time when it will be
a working out of those things which are good and right and
for His honour and for His glory. So therefore, don't be surprised
if the Word of the Lord is tried in your life and my life. It
will be, and it will be good and it is so. Because that which
is of the flesh, and there are sometimes things which are of
the flesh, will be burnt up. the things of the flesh are the
things that you and I want to come to pass and we have a nice
little plan for it and we think it's a good plan and we may even
think that it brings honour and glory to God but the problem
is that we forgot that if it comes to pass in the way that
we envisage we will claim some of the glory Well, God ordains
answers to his word, to his work, wherein he has all the honour
and all the glory. Joseph could never claim any
glory, could he? He could never be envisaged.
Such a pathway that would bring him to that time. when his vision
would be completed, would be revealed. As for God, his way
is perfect. It really comes down to the words
that John the Baptist spoke when he said, he must increase, but
I must decrease. Naturally speaking, It's hard
to decrease. What a good thing it is when
God's hand is upon us and we're made willing in the day of his
power to be as nothing, that Christ might be all and in all. And it displays to us so very
clearly and so very wonderfully the power of God. Yes, it will
be performed. It will be brought to pass. You know, there are many illustrations
where you can think of, you can ponder the life of Abraham. We haven't got time to go through
it now. Abraham's life, Isaac's life, Jacob's life, the patriarchs. And then we can come and think
of the case of perhaps Jonah. Jonah had his own plan. He wasn't
going to please God, he was going to do his own plan. But in God's
time and in God's way, God's plan was to be fulfilled. And
as we know, God spoke to him the second time. When God had
wonderfully blessed him and revealed to him The great and glorious
truth, salvation is of the Lord. He had to go right down into
the depths, didn't he, Jonah did. But the Lord delivered him. And then the word came to him
the second time. Perhaps sometimes in our lives,
God has to speak to us again to convince us of his will. and His purpose of love toward
us. We must realise that our lives
on this earth are not just to please ourselves, not just to
soldier on in a nice easy pattern. The Lord has a purpose for every
one of His children. Every true child of God has a
purpose in this life. a God-given purpose. Not a purpose
we would choose for ourselves, but a purpose that God has, so
that he does receive the honour and the glory. And we can, therefore,
enter in to these words of Jeremiah. Jeremiah proved it, didn't he,
in his life. If you trace out the life of
Jeremiah, while there were many hardships he had to endure and
face, But God was with him. And that's the great blessing,
isn't it? To know that God is with us. And as the apostle said, if God
be for us, who can be against us? No one can be against us
if God is for us. It may seem so. It may seem so. That God is against us. But what
he's doing, he's working in our hearts. to bring us down, that
He might be raised up. See, God's ways are better now. His ways are higher than our
ways. We have a little mind. Our mind
is mortal. Our mind is earthy. God's mind
is so gloriously great. He knows the end from the beginning.
He knows what He would do with you and me. And what a blessing
to realise and have the evidence that we are in the hand of God. The Lord is working in our life. The God is dealing with us in
love to our souls, to display his glorious grace and mercy. Oh, my friends, may we then truly
be amongst those who by his grace are able to come and to humble
ourselves under the mighty hand of God. that we may be exalted
in due time, indeed, casting all our care upon Him, believing
He cares for us. He cared for Jeremiah. He cared
for Joseph. My friends, may we have the evidence
that He cares for us. We are able to say, indeed, in
accordance with the 107th Psalm, He led them forth by the right way
that they might go to a city of habitation. Our life all directs
us to the end of our journey when we shall, by the grace of
God, be with Christ, which is far better.