Now What Do I Do Jeremiah 29 5

Now What Do I Do? Jeremiah 29: 5 -14

Background to Jeremiah 29 § Sometime after 597 B. C. , the Jews are in captivity in Babylon (2 Kings 24: 1216; Jer. 52: 28; Ezek. 1: 1 -3) § Jeremiah sends a letter and tells them five things to do during their 70 -year captivity 2

1. Keep Living (29: 5 -6) § Don’t just sit and quit; don’t be lazy or rebel § Keep doing what is important for the Lord, family, work, etc. 3

1. Keep Living (29: 5 -6) § 2 Cor. 4: 7 -18; 6: 4 -10; 2 Tim. 1: 8; Heb. 12: 12 -16 4

2. Do Good (29: 7) § Don’t allow yourself to slump into bitterness or resentment; be a good, productive citizen – revolutionary! § Pray for others and your enemies 5

2. Do Good (29: 7) § Mt. 5: 43 -48; Acts 4: 23 -31; Rom. 12: 1721; 1 Tim. 2: 1 -2 6

3. Don’t Be Deceived (29: 8 -9) § Don’t listen to the false prophets (see 28: 1 -4) § They say “thus says the Lord”, but they are lying (27: 9 -10; 28: 2, 11) 7

3. Don’t Be Deceived (29: 8 -9) § Mt. 24: 5, 11; Rev. 13: 14 8

4. Remember God’s Plan (29: 10 -11) § Don’t forget that God has a plan to turn difficulties into successes § God has a “good word”, “thoughts of peace”, and “your latter end” 9

4. God Has A Plan (29: 10 -11) § Jas. 5: 11; Rev. 17: 14 10

5. Seek the Lord (29: 12 -15) § Don’t abandon God through disobedience § Pray to him; seek him with all your heart (Daniel in captivity is a good example of this) 11

5. Seek the Lord (29: 12 -15) § Heb. 10: 24 -25, 32 -39; 1 Pet. 2: 11 -12; 4: 1 -2, 16; Rev. 2 -3; 5: 8; 12: 17 12

Now What Do I Do? § Keep living § Do good § Don’t be deceived § Remember God’s plan § Seek the Lord 13