Jeremiah Chapters 9-11: Fire and Brimstone, anyone?

I'm gonna try a different layout for this response. Just change things up a little bit.

Favorite/Powerful/'think about that' verses:
9: 3
They make ready their tongue, like a bow, to shoot lies; it is not by truth that they triumph in the land. They go from one sin to another; they do not acknowledge me"

9:8
"Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks deceitfully. With their mouths they all speak cordially to their neighbors, but in their hearts they set traps for them.

Jeremiah's Prayer ( 10:23-25)
23 Lord, I know that people's lives are not their own;
it is not for them to direct their steps.
24 Discipline me, Lord, but only in due measure-
not in your anger
or you will reduce me to nothing.
25 Pour out your wrath on the nations
that do not acknowledge you,
on the peoples who do not call on your name.
For they have devoured Jacob;
they have devoured him completely
and destroyed his homeland.

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Okay so with that said...what's going on here! These chapters I am certainly not familiar with...these aren't the popular verses read aloud at church on Sunday in a Lutheran church. Some of these verses are down-right terrifying. What do we make of them? I found myself getting on the defensive IMMEDIATELY. Woah woah God...easy does it. I know you're upset, but you wouldn't say those things about ME, would you? At least I'm trying! Nice try, Amanda. I know there are times when I do something wrong, and they try to play it off like maybe God won't remember. And I dont confess it in a prayer and admit my sin. What the heck am I thinking? This is exactly what he is warning us about. He's saying, Guys! Don't you get it? I know EVERYTHING! Why are you building idols and doing all of this blasphemous stuff then coming back to me saying, oh gee, we're sorry. Forgive us. SO INSINCERE! All God wants to do is love us...why do we make it so hard sometimes?

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The True Identity Blurb: At issue --> IDENTITY
9:23-24
Stop and think for a minute about how you define yourself. Is it by your knowledge or wisdom? By your talents, abilities, or strengths? By your possessions or relationships? The sense of pride and accomplishment you find in those things only gives you a false sense of self-worth. God reminds us that our lives are not meant to be about promoting ourselves. Instead, they ought to be about glorifying him. Let go of everything else and find your identity 0 your value, your purpose and your sense of who you are - in knowing God and being the woman He wants you to be.