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God told His people in Babylonian captivity to have large families and support the country they lived in. Could this be a blueprint for how American believers should react to increasing persecution? Today: the takeaways from Jeremiah 29.

Once, Christians were a dominant force in American culture. That day is no more. How do we live as a minority in a pagan culture? The surprising answers come from Jeremiah 29, where God tells captive Israel how to live in a faraway land.

Should believers living under national judgment circle the wagons and live off the grid, or engage their flawed culture with enthusiasm? The surprising answer comes from God's instructions to captive Judah living in Babylon.

In the midst of darkness, light is easy to see. Jeremiah's eyes were full of tears as he prophesied the righteous judgment of God against a sinning, rebellious Jerusalem. Through his sorrow, he recalled a word of hope, a word Erwin Lutzer shares with you in this message.

Jesus looked on Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives and wept over the destruction He knew the Romans would soon bring. Many centuries earlier, the prophet Jeremiah wept when the city was destroyed. Do we weep for our nation, soon to feel judgment?

Those who lived in Jerusalem did not realize their destruction was imminent. They never thought God would bring them to account, since this was where His Temple stood. Jeremiah rightly wept as he foresaw the terrible hand of God's judgment.

When the judgment of God falls, things we hold dear are often laid waste. The city of Jerusalem with its temple was sacked and looted by invading armies whose actions came in the plan and will of God.

What might it be like when God judges America for its personal and national sins? All we need do is see what God did to Judah in the days of Jeremiah, when both the righteous and the wicked suffered.

When Jeremiah proclaimed the coming judgment of God, his fellow Israelites paid him no heed. Life went on with no thought of a day of accounting. The lessons they ultimately learned are lessons we in America must learn, because where Israel went, so will we.

When God's judgment comes, it's not pretty. Jeremiah's warnings to Judah were disregarded, and the people and their king paid a great price. In this message, we'll see more of what happened to a sinning nation, and how judgment might look as our nation feels the wrath of God.

When the cup of iniquity is full, God pours out His wrath. Judah felt that wrath as invading armies looted Jerusalem and took the people into captivity. America may soon feel that same wrath.

God's call to ancient Judah was "Repent of your sins and return to the God of your fathers." The clay on the potter's wheel cannot control its destiny. Yet we think we can tell the Potter what to do.

A lump of clay has no clue what its potter intends to make out of it. Jeremiah 18 tells how God views Israel, as clay on His wheel. Life begins to make sense when we have a right view of ourselves and a right view of God.

Many people think they are masters of their own destiny. But God sees His people as clay on a potter's wheel, and since He's the potter, He controls their destiny. We need to see ourselves as vessels God can make and remake as He chooses.

It's a paradox. When people refuse sound teaching, God sends false prophets to give them lies to believe. Jeremiah teaches that false prophets in themselves are a judgment from God. In this message we'll see the takeaway lessons from our look at false prophets.