* God showed Jeremiah two pictures before He spoke His word to him.

* God is always painting pictures for us.

* He does it in Scripture but also in our every day life.

* He asks us the same question, “what do you see?”

* This is how two people can see the same thing and have different views.

* The person who’s always looking and listening for God will have eyes to see when others don’t.

* ex: my buddy who took over a dying church - he “saw” something.

* Notice the five commands God gives young Jeremiah:

* 1) Don’t think about yourself - don’t say, “I’m too young.”

* 2) Go where I send you - even if he didn’t understand why or where.

* 3) Say whatever I command you - he wasn’t to consider his audience and tailor his message.

* He was to start with God’s truth and then deliver to the people, not the other way around.

* 4) Don’t be afraid - the message would tick people off.

* 5) Get yourself ready (vs 17) - this is the same command Jesus gave His disciples.

* The Hebrew word for “stripe” is “habbura”, and it means “blows.”

* The root is “habar,” and it means “to be joined, to compact together, to unite.”

* Stripes and blows are found in the foundational ideas for community!

* There is company in suffering.

* The deepest secret of camaraderie is a willingness to suffer together.

* It’s one of the reasons why the military are considered “brothers in arms.”

* Rick Warren lists four levels of unity:

* 1) You grow close to those you STUDY with.

* 2) You grow close to those you SHARE with.

* 3) You grow close to those you SERVE with.

* 4) You grow close to those you SUFFER with.

* Suffering together creates the deepest bond of unity.

* If you did something wrong and were brought before a judge you would not be confident.

* Why? Because you have truth on your side.

* If you were a soldier but sluffed-off in training you wouldn’t be confident in battle.

* Why? Because you’re not prepared to fight.

* Confidence leads to courageous.

* When we claim Christ we enter a battle.

* But we can be confident.

* How?

* 1) By living according to truth - when we’re pure we can be confident God will protect us.

* 2) By being prepared - when we study to show ourselves approved God will give us the words to speak at the right time.

* Prayer and fasting also prepares us.

* Married couples should apply these verses to their relationship.

* Imagine how your spouse would respond if you wrote a letter like what Paul wrote to the Philippians.

* It starts off with him thinking fondly of them. Notice his thoughts:

* 1) Thankful (vs 3) - gratitude breaks down emotional walls.

* 2) Prayerful (vs 4a) - your spouse is your top priority in prayer.

* 3) Joyful (vs 4b) - if you don’t feel joy you need to re-joy by giving of yourself to your spouse (like Hannah).

* 4) Fellowship (vs 5) - “friendly association, especially with people who share one’s interest.” Be buddies and do things together.

* 5) Confidence (vs 6) - trusting that God is doing something in your spouse and He can be trusted. Also granting trust to your spouse.

* vs 7a - Paul recognizes it’s right to think these things of those he’s ministering to.

* 6) Empathy (vs 7) - “we’re in this together.” Turn toward your spouse.

* 7) Affectionate (vs 8) - we need to long for our spouse with loving affection. Appreciation leads to affection.

* Before you read about wives submitting to husbands you have to know Paul’s presuppositions.

* Here are three:

* 1) Mutual submission is the foundation (Ephesians 5:21).

* Both husband and wife yield themselves to God and each other.

* 1 Corinthians 7:4 - this is a picture of mutual submission.

* 2) Men and women are equal (Galatians 3:28).

* Before Christ women and children were second class to men.

* Christ’s teaching changed that.

* 3) The man has the greater responsibility (Ephesians 5:25).

* If his wife is to submit he must first be willing to sacrifice.

* Sacrificing himself for his wife, as Christ did the church, will draw her to submit.

* It’s the same way we submit to Christ - if He didn’t sacrifice for us we wouldn’t submit to Him.

* Boundaries book by Dr. Henry Cloud - we are responsible TO others and FOR ourselves.

* vs 2 - we should help bear other’s burdens.

* Greek work for burden is “excess burden,” like a boulder too big to carry.

* We should help others when they can’t help themselves.

* vs 5 - everyone should carry their own load.

* The Greek word for load is “cargo,” like something you carry in your backpack.

* When it comes to daily tasks we have to take care of ourselves.

* We can apply these verses in four ways:

* 1) Help those who have a burden they can’t carry on their own.

* 2) Don’t try to carry a burden that’s too heavy for you all by yourself.

* 3) Take care of your own responsibilities.

* 4) Don’t expect others to help you with things you should do yourself.

* I have news for you - your poop is whispering to you!

* It’s a subtle voice telling you what’s going on inside your body.

* It’s saying, “This is the way, walk in it!”

* Since we have the University of Bristol Poop Chart we see the 7 different types and which one is the best.

* Your poop is the Check Engine light for your body.

* The same is true spiritually - what’s coming out of you reveals what’s going on inside you.

* We have 9 fruits to see (better than 7!).

* vs 6:7-9 - another way to say it is “you reap what you sow.”

* Whatever you plant and water will grow.

* Are you sowing to the spirit or the flesh?

* Pay attention to your decisions.

* Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see good fruit right away.

* Sin has a sign - you lose all feeling.

* When sin becomes your lifestyle you lose all sensitivity.

* You become callous in your heart toward the things you should be soft toward.

* When you choose sin is sucks the life out of you, literally.

* Then, everything you do has no meaning (vs 17). It’s futile.

* So what do you do if you’re there?

* Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you’ve sinned (maybe ask a friend).

* Then repent and refuse to walk in that sin any longer.

* From that point forward everything, even the smallest thing, will burst with meaning.

* If we don’t understand Christ’s authority over ALL things then nothing else matters - this is the key point of Christianity.

* “God has put” means God had to do something that wasn’t that way before.

* Originally mankind had authority, but Adam gave it to Satan.

* Jesus, the second Adam, got it back.

* Now Jesus is seated at God’s right hand until His enemies are made into a footstool for His feet.

* The church is in the footstool-making business.