EZEKIEL

Today is Wednesday and I'm excited about the day.  I know that it is going to be something special.  I will look forward to the time I get to preach in elementary chapel and then high school chapel, and then later in the evening to the adults in the mid-week service.  Today, I'm in Ezekiel, and here are a few thoughts: 1) BUMPING HEADS- Sometimes it just seems as Christians that we are just bumping heads with the world.  They are for one thing and we as believers stand for another.  On so many subjects in life, we are just bumping heads.  In Ezekiel 3, the LORD told us that this would happen.  Ezekiel 3:8,9 says: "Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.  As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead:  fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house."  God is telling His people that they too will be bumping heads with the world, but God goes on to say that I have made you "hard headed" for that purpose.  I think we need more "hard headed" Christianity.  Not argumentative, but hard enough to bump heads with the world's philosophies and not change one bit.  Hard enough to stand for truth when everyone around you bows down to falsehoods.  Can we do that??  Well, not in our own abilities, but the text tells us that God has made our foreheads harder than adamant.  God did this... and that is the secret.  We can stand in God's strength and not give in to this world's delusions.  Hang in there Christian, God will help us succeed. 2) WHAT COMPASSION!  God's love stands out so much above our understanding.  In Ezekiel 18:23 God makes this remarkable statement:  "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the LORD God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?"  Now, if I were God, I think I would get rid of the wicked and they would die and the rest would be what they deserve.... but I'm not God.  God has compassion even on the wicked.  Hard to understand... He judges them, deals with them, and yet all the while is loving them.  Here is how we as men feel:  Prov. 11:10  "When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting."  We shout, but not God... His compassion faileth not.  Wow!!  What a God we serve!! 3) A KING OF KINGS.  This is how Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon is described in Ezekiel 26:7.  "Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, a king of kings,..."  And truly he was.  This king of Babylon was the king over one of the greatest land masses of ancient days.  He ruled in power and magisty.  Most of the Arab countries and all of India.  A great number of people in his kingdom and a great land mass.  He was treated as though he was a god and to many he was.  Remember, the image of himself and the demand for all to pray to him.  But even he learned of the One true God of Heaven and Earth.  And in the book of Daniel, we see him humble himself before the LORD and acknowlege the God of creation.  Yes, he was a king of kings.  Now let's contrast king Nebuchadrezzar with Christ.  Rev 19:16  "And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."  Notice the difference between "a king of kings" and "KING OF KINGS"?  What a difference it is!  One is among the great kings of the earth, and the other is the GREAT KING OF ALL HEAVEN AND EARTH, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS!!  Hey, this is who we serve!  This is who we worship!  This is who walks with us today!  This is our Savior and our God.  Praise the LORD!!!  Well, so much for today, I so enjoy getting to write a little of what I read.... so many great thoughts and truths.  I wish I just had more time to write each morning.  May God bless you today!!  Dr. Mike Mutchler