“'Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me. When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.'" Ezekiel 3:17-18
Every now and then I run across a Bible passage that makes my blood run cold. Ezekiel 3:17-21 is just such an example. The prophet Ezekiel was being sent by God to the rebellious people of Israel to deliver a warning from Him. One of the reasons he was being sent was so that the people would know that a prophet, and by extension, God Himself was among them. In turn, the message he was sent to deliver was designed to warn the people to turn from their wicked ways and return to the previously established covenant relationship lest they die.
The message God gave Ezekiel to deliver was a critical one, however, before he was given a word to speak, God impressed upon him the importance of carrying out the assigned task. In short, He told his prophet that if anyone perished (due to their own iniquity) without him having delivered the assigned message, he would bear responsibility.
Beloved, the reason this passage caused a chill to run down my spine is due to the realization that we have been given the same charge and bear that same responsibility. Those of us who call upon the name of Jesus are the messengers of God. We are sent to all nations to bear witness to the love of the Lord and to deliver His message (Matthew 28:19-20). We are to fill our mouths with His word and warn the stubborn, obstinate and unrighteous about the dangers associated with pursuing their current course. We are charged with nothing less than attempting to literally save the lives of the lost. Our failure to speak up and speak out condemns to death the people we refuse to warn just as if we failed to take the keys from an inebriated person attempting to get behind the wheel of a car. It is not our fault that the person is drunk, but we would bear responsibility for refusing to intercede if that person tragically died or worse, caused the death of someone else. Chilling indeed.
Let us not view our Christian lives simply as "going to Church," attending bible studies, participating in pot luck dinners and fellowshipping with those of like faith. Let us instead act as fire marshals engaged in literal fire prevention and fire fighters engaged in literal rescue of those in danger of being lost in the fire.
Building God's family,
Lee
Friday, May 25, 2018
Tuesday, May 22, 2018
A Promise is a Promise 5/22/2018
"In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us." Heb 6:17-18
Throughout history there have been attempts to gain assurances regarding the reliability of a person's word. We are familiar with handshakes, blood oaths and even "pinkie swears" which are popular with pre-teens today. Biblically, it was customary to swear by someone or something greater than oneself though Christ encouraged saying simply "yes" or "no" rather than making oaths at all ( Matt 5:33-37). But we all know what it is like to have someone make assurances and promises but fail to deliver.
Beloved we can rejoice today because we serve a God that is not subject to the fickleness and failings of men and women. It is good to know that it is beyond His capability to lie and that therefore, He will do what He says He will do. God has an amazing track record. Within the context of the Hebrews passage, the Bible indicates that he made promises to Abraham but "since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself" Heb 6:13. Remember that he promised to make an old man and his barren wife the parents of descendants as numerous as the stars. Even we are products of that promise.
Let us then be grateful that God is true. Let us be encouraged by the things he has promised. Let us look forward with hope and faith to the day that the promises he has made regarding our living ever with him will come to pass.
Building God's family,
Lee
Throughout history there have been attempts to gain assurances regarding the reliability of a person's word. We are familiar with handshakes, blood oaths and even "pinkie swears" which are popular with pre-teens today. Biblically, it was customary to swear by someone or something greater than oneself though Christ encouraged saying simply "yes" or "no" rather than making oaths at all ( Matt 5:33-37). But we all know what it is like to have someone make assurances and promises but fail to deliver.
Beloved we can rejoice today because we serve a God that is not subject to the fickleness and failings of men and women. It is good to know that it is beyond His capability to lie and that therefore, He will do what He says He will do. God has an amazing track record. Within the context of the Hebrews passage, the Bible indicates that he made promises to Abraham but "since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself" Heb 6:13. Remember that he promised to make an old man and his barren wife the parents of descendants as numerous as the stars. Even we are products of that promise.
Let us then be grateful that God is true. Let us be encouraged by the things he has promised. Let us look forward with hope and faith to the day that the promises he has made regarding our living ever with him will come to pass.
Building God's family,
Lee
Friday, May 4, 2018
Persistence Pays 5/4/2018
"Then He said to them, " Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; and from inside he answers and says, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' "I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs." Luke 11:5-8
Far too often, we treat God as a clerk at a local store while thinking of ourselves as customers. We expect to be able to put in our order with Him and have it filled in a manner that exceeds our expectation and for it to be done right away. Should He, in our minds, fail to deliver, we become either angry and indignant or defeated and hopeless. Many of us will try to fix whatever the problem is or obtain whatever the need is ourselves and will step outside of God's will for our lives if we feel it necessary. "Oh we of little faith."
None of us can begin to know the entire will of God. None of us can see things from His perspective. None of us has access to His intent be it past, present or future. We do, however, have access to His assurances and promises. He has promised to provide for all of our needs (rather than the wants on which we so often base the health of our relationship and even His existence). He has promised to hear our pleas. He has promised a way of escape for any temptation that threatens to overtake us. And He has promised everlasting life to those that are His.
Beloved, if your situation is not covered by one of these or the many other promises and assurances given by the Lord, which is doubtful, be persistent in your supplications. Beseech the Lord in all you do, day and night. Draw closer to Him and He will draw closer to you. In short, as our scripture of the day clearly indicates, bug Him! For after this He has said, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. "For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened," Luke 11:9-10.
Building God's family,
Lee
Far too often, we treat God as a clerk at a local store while thinking of ourselves as customers. We expect to be able to put in our order with Him and have it filled in a manner that exceeds our expectation and for it to be done right away. Should He, in our minds, fail to deliver, we become either angry and indignant or defeated and hopeless. Many of us will try to fix whatever the problem is or obtain whatever the need is ourselves and will step outside of God's will for our lives if we feel it necessary. "Oh we of little faith."
None of us can begin to know the entire will of God. None of us can see things from His perspective. None of us has access to His intent be it past, present or future. We do, however, have access to His assurances and promises. He has promised to provide for all of our needs (rather than the wants on which we so often base the health of our relationship and even His existence). He has promised to hear our pleas. He has promised a way of escape for any temptation that threatens to overtake us. And He has promised everlasting life to those that are His.
Beloved, if your situation is not covered by one of these or the many other promises and assurances given by the Lord, which is doubtful, be persistent in your supplications. Beseech the Lord in all you do, day and night. Draw closer to Him and He will draw closer to you. In short, as our scripture of the day clearly indicates, bug Him! For after this He has said, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. "For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened," Luke 11:9-10.
Building God's family,
Lee
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