Healthy Independence-2

HEALTHY INDEPENDENCE-II—Jeremiah 17:1-14

Attention:

Original Letter circling the Internet:

The date of the attack: 9/11 - 9 + 1 + 1 = 11.

September 11th is the 254th day of the year: 2 + 5 + 4 = 11

After September 11th there are 111 days left to the end of the year.

119 is the area code to Iraq/Iran. 1 + 1 + 9 = 11

Twin Towers - standing side by side, looks like the number 11.

The first plane to hit the towers was Flight 11.

There are more. . . . . . .

State of New York - The 11th State added to the Union

New York City - 11 Letters

Afghanistan - 11 Letters

The Pentagon - 11 Letters

Ramzi Yousef - 11 Letters(convicted of orchestrating the attack at the WTC in 1993)

Flight 11 - 92 on board - 9 + 2 = 11

Flight 77 - 65 on board - 6 + 5 = 11

*A response from David Pawson:

•WOW, I'm a goner! There are 11 letters in the name "David Pawson!"

I'm going into hiding NOW. See you in a few weeks.

Wait a minute...I just realized "YOU CAN'T HIDE" also has 11 letters! What am I gonna do? Help me!!! The terrorists are after me!

Oh no, there must be someplace on planet Earth where I could hide! But no!!!! "PLANET EARTH" has 11 letters, too!

I know, the Red Cross can help. No they can’t. because, you guessed it, there are 11 letters in "THE RED CROSS," I can't trust them.

I would rely on self defense, but "SELF DEFENSE" has 11 letters in it, too! Can someone help? Anyone? If so, send me email. No, no, no, don’t do that because "SEND ME EMAIL" has 11 letters!

Will this never end? I'm going insane! Oh no, “GOING INSANE"has Eleven letters!!

Nooooooooooo!!!!!! I guess I'll die alone, even though "I'LL DIE ALONE" also has 11 letters!

Oh my, I just realized that America is doomed! Our Independence Day is July 4th . . . 7/4—7th month/4th day . . . 7 + 4 = 11!

*P.S. "Foolishness" also has 11 letters.

Some of you who consider yourselves to be independent, are not really independent from anything except your own sanity!

God’s people must exhibit a ‘Healthy’ independence from the world in which they live.

?Are you living INDEPENDENTLY of that which has potential to destroy you?

The prophet Jeremiah contrasted two major aspects of Independence—Independence from God versus independence from the world.

*Dependence upon YHWH brings independence from worldly influence.

What can be gleaned by contrasting healthy & unhealthy independence?

*How can I be independent of worldly influence?

So far we’ve have found that A Healthy Independence Engages(deals with/handles/manages)...

1. A RESIDENT REBELLION(:1)

2. An ABERRANT EDUCATION(:2)

3. BLINDLY SIGHTED BENEFITS(:3-4)

Today we’ll find that...

4—A Healthy Independence also Engages...

An ANGERING LIFESTYLE(:4e)

Explanation:(:4e)

:4e—“For you have kindled a fire in My anger which shall burn forever.”

“For you have kindled a fire in My anger...”

Due to their self-serving sinfulness, in turning from the eternal God, to the lesser gods of their own choosing, “A fire” has been “kindled” ‘within’ YHWH’s “anger.” That is, His “anger” is no longer an ‘internal’ “anger”, but has resulted in His outward response.

“which shall burn forever.”—This does NOT mean that YHWH will never be able to forgive them, but rather that the ‘hurt’ of their leaving Him will always be remembered. ‘Tough Love’ is about to be levied upon His people.

YHWH’s jealous “anger” was foretold in Leviticus chapter 26 before Israel ever entered the land He had promised & gave them:

Lev. 26:1-17(:1-39)—“‘You shall not make idols for yourselves; neither a carved image nor a sacred pillar shall you rear up for yourselves; nor shall you set up an engraved stone in your land, to bow down to it; for I am the LORD your God. You shall keep My Sabbaths & reverence My sanctuary: I am the LORD. If you walk in My statutes & keep My commandments, & perform them, then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, & the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. Your threshing shall last till the time of vintage, & the vintage shall last till the time of sowing; you shall eat your bread to the full, & dwell in your land safely. I will give peace in the land, & you shall lie down, & none will make you afraid; I will rid the land of evil beasts, & the sword will not go through your land. You will chase your enemies, & they shall fall by the sword before you. Five of you shall chase a hundred, & a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight; your enemies shall fall by the sword before you. For I will look on you favorably & make you fruitful, multiply you & confirm My covenant with you. You shall eat the old harvest, & clear out the old because of the new. I will set My tabernacle among you, & My soul shall not abhor you. I will walk among you & be your God, & you shall be My people. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves; I have broken the bands of your yoke & made you walk upright. But if you do not obey Me, & do not observe all these commandments, & if you despise My statutes, or if your soul abhors My judgments, so that you do not perform all My commandments, but break My covenant, I also will do this to you: I will even appoint terror over you, wasting disease & fever which shall consume the eyes & cause sorrow of heart. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. I will set My face against you, & you shall be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you shall reign over you, & you shall flee when no one pursues you.”