DCLM Higher Everyday 24 January 2024 — A Universal Question
Topic: A Universal Question
Text: Jeremiah 13:19-27
19The cities of the south shall be shut up, and none shall open them: Judah shall be carried away captive all of it, it shall be wholly carried away captive.
20Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?
22And if thou say in thine heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts discovered, and thy heels made bare.
23Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
24Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.
25This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the LORD; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.
26Therefore will I discover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may appear.
27I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be?
Key Verse: “Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil” (Jeremiah 13:23)
Message
The two age-long sayings, “An Ethiopian cannot change the colour of his skin” and “A leopard cannot take away its spots,” express the ancient belief that things cannot change their corrupt nature. Human beings cannot also change their sinful nature. Billy Graham decared: “After many thousands of years of so-called human progress, education, science and culture, we are amazed to discover that man is capable of the same old sins.”
The children of Israel that God sent Prophet Jeremiah to warn of their sins were known for their stubbornness and disobedience. He was even imprisoned for warning them about the regretful consequences of their idolatry, prostitution, oppression of the poor, etc. Many youths today are stubborn and disobedient like they were. God be praised that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from sin. Are you naughty and stubborn? The stubborn, whether youths or adults, cannot make heaven. Let the blood of the Lamb of God cleanse every spot of sin from your heart. Don’t linger in the camp of the sinning youths. Give your heart to Jesus now.
Quote: Are you naughty and stubborn?
Challenge: Are you naughty and stubborn?
Prayer for today: Wash me, O Lamb of God.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
