Call unto me and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not

 

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

NOTES FROM TUESDAY 7 NOVEMBER 2023

JEREMIAH 33 VERSES 1 – 3

The main theme throughout the book of Jeremiah is the backsliding bondage and restoration of Jerusalem.  Jerusalem had been overthrown and brought into captivity.  Jeremiah was at a low point in his life.  Rejected by friends and neighbours, shut up in the courts of the prison house.  In the midst of all this God had a special word for him, a word of encouragement.  “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”  What words of consolation.  The imprisoned prophet received words greater than his enemies, than his foes. He was willing to listen.  In the midst of difficult days that we find ourselves in today the Lord still has an encouraging word for us.  We are invited to call upon the Lord in the day of trouble with the assurance he will answer.  There are a number of truths that we can apply to our hearts and lives today.

 

An invitation extended – “call unto me”.  God came to Jeremiah and invited him to call upon him in prayer.  It was the Lord’s deepest longing to hear his servant engage in intercessory prayer.  The ultimate answer to Jeremiah’s difficulties.  Worry would not have helped the situation but praying would certainly bring calm and peace to his troubling circumstances.  It is sad to think that men shut up his servant in the court of the prison.  It is encouraging to know they couldn’t close out the voice of God.  Warren Wiersbe said “man may shut up God’s servants but they cannot shut out God’s words.”  God’s word can come to us no matter where we are, in whatever situation we find ourselves in.  We may be asked to suffer terribly but “the word of God is not bound.” (2 Timothy 2 verse 9)  God has an encouraging word for Jeremiah and he found a way of imparting it to him.  “Jeremiah call upon me, bring your troubles and concerns to me in prayer.”  It is still extended to us today as God’s people and servants in the midst of difficulties and uncertainties.  We are encouraged to seek the Lord’s face in prayer.  He invites us to “come boldly unto the throne of grace to find mercy and help in the time of need.” (Hebrews 4 verse 16)  What difficulties are you facing today?  What trials are you going through?  The Lord invites you to bring them before him in prayer.

 

An assurance given – “and I will answer thee”.  What an assurance Jeremiah had.  The Lord not only invited him to call upon him in prayer, the Lord assured him he wanted to call upon him in great expectancy.  He had no need to doubt.  He had the assurance he would answer him when he called on him.  The Lord not only extends an invitation but assures us of an answer.  Mark 11 verse 24 “what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them.”  True prayer is answered when we come before the Lord with all earnestness, faith and righteousness.  Nothing is going to stop the Lord answering if it is according to his own divine will.  The Lord answers prayer in one of 3 ways.  The Lord knows everything.  He knows what is best for us, better than we know ourselves.  Therefore when we make our requests the Lord can say yes.  He could say wait or he could say no.  The Lord always answers prayer but it may not be the answer we were expecting or looking for.  He always answers prayer in accordance with his own divine will.  He will not answer prayer that is not in accordance with his plans and purposes.  He wants the best for us.  That is why he may say no, wait or yes.  Maybe you have been praying for years asking the Lord for something.  You face a season of disappointment.  The Lord has not answered your prayer.  He might be saying “no” or “wait”.  The Lord’s timing is always right and the Lord’s plan and purposes are perfect.  Oswald Chambers said “never make the blunder of trying to forecast the way God is going to answer your prayer.”

 

A vision imparted – “and shew thee”.  He received one of the greatest revelations ever imparted to a man.  He promised that the Lord would come, the promised Messiah – verses 15 and 16.  The Lord has a longing and a desire to shew his people and servants great and mighty things but before he shows us that we must be willing to wait before him in prayer.  To wait and call upon him.  Whilst visiting in the province, Duncan Campbell, Principal of the Faith Mission College retired for prayer for some time.  He said to the man he was staying with “do you want the good news or the bad news?  Ulster will experience severe bloodshed but then will come great revival.”  We have had the bloodshed and now we are longing for those days of revival. Do we come before the Lord daily expecting him to show us a new thing?  I fear that our vision becomes so cluttered with temporal things that we cannot see the things God would want to impart to us.  While Daniel was praying God showed him a vision, things that would soon come to pass.

 

A power displayed – “great and mighty things”.  God is able to do far above all we could imagine or think – 2 Peter 3 verse 9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” “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.” (2 Corinthians 9 verse 8)  “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” (Ephesians 3 verse 20)  We are guilty of limiting God.  Do we believe that when we pray he can do what we ask him to do?  He is able to handle the challenges we face from day to day.  Be encouraged, be assured – our God is able.

 

An ignorance removed – “which thou knowest not”.  Only by the work of the Holy Spirit will we be able to see great and hidden truths in his word, things we do not know that are written for us.  Jesus challenged many in his day of the ignorance they had towards him and his word – Matthew 22 verse 29 “Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.”  Psalm 119 verse 9 “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.”  It also gives hope to man – Romans 15 verse 4 "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”  Ezekiel 12 verse 25 “For I am the Lord: I will speak and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged; for in your days O rebellious house, will I say the word and will perform it, saith the Lord God.”

 

God has extended his invitation to all of us to call upon him in the place of prayer.  He assures us of an answer but we must bear in mind he will only grant our requests in accordance with his plans and purposes.  He is able to do far beyond what we can think.  We need to call on God to remove the ignorance from our hearts, to see his truth from his word.  Then we will see great and mighty things.  “Open thou my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” (Psalm 119 verse 118)