Life Lessons from Jeremiah Pt. 6: My Deceitful Heart By Louie Marsh, 6-7-2026 1) I must LEARN to trust in God alone. "5Thus says the Lord: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. 6He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. (Jeremiah 17:5–6, ESV) The person whose "heart turns aside from Yahweh" is "cursed." In ancient Israel's theocratic monarchy, turning away from God was considered rebellion and treason, crimes still punishable by death in most countries of the world today. Such a rebel Jeremiah compared to the, "juniper," of the "wilderness, a land of salt and not inhabited" (17:6). This description leads to the identification of the with the Sodom apple of the Dead Sea region. This tree has broad leaves that appear to be upturned in prayer. It bears a fruit about the size and shape of a lemon and is attractive in appearance. But when opened, this fruit reveals only dry, silky, threadlike fibers that carry the seeds on the wind, much as the milkweed. A person who makes his home in the barren wilderness of the soul and orders his life so as to produce only desiccated, disappointing "fruit" "will not see when good comes." - Gregory A. Lint, ed., Jeremiah–Lamentations, The Complete Biblical Library: Study Bible (World Library Press, 2000), Je 17:5–8. · When I trust myself, I get NOTHING! 2) My life will be STABLE & FRUITFUL if I do. 7"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. 8He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." (Jeremiah 17:7–8, ESV) "9(for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true)," (Ephesians 5:9, ESV) 3) My big problem – My Heart has a TERMINAL disease. 9The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? 10"I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds." (Jeremiah 17:9–10, ESV) "26And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." (Ezekiel 36:26, ESV) 4) If I follow my heart alone I will end up a FOOL. 11Like the partridge that gathers a brood that she did not hatch, so is he who gets riches but not by justice; in the midst of his days they will leave him, and at his end he will be a fool. 12A glorious throne set on high from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary. 13O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you shall be put to shame; those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth, for they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living water. (Jeremiah 17:11–13, ESV) 5) Only God can HEAL my heart. 14Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise. (Jeremiah 17:14, ESV) "28Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."" (Matthew 11:28–30, ESV) 6) So I will follow God's CALL thru good times & bad. 15Behold, they say to me, "Where is the word of the Lord? Let it come!" 16I have not run away from being your shepherd, nor have I desired the day of sickness. You know what came out of my lips; it was before your face. 17Be not a terror to me; you are my refuge in the day of disaster. (Jeremiah 17:5–15-17, ESV) 7) I will TRUST God & let Him deal with my enemies 18Let those be put to shame who persecute me, but let me not be put to shame; let them be dismayed, but let me not be dismayed; bring upon them the day of disaster; destroy them with double destruction!" (Jeremiah 17:18, ESV)