EZEKIEL

It is Wednesday morning, and I am looking forward to preaching tonight.  I have one lady lined up to be baptized and she was recently saved and is looking forward to being baptized.  She has been battling cancer and it has taken it's toll upon her, but she is assured of heaven and wants to be baptized tonight even though she is in a wheelchair at this time.  Pray for her today. I'm in Ezekiel.  Ezekiel is about judgment.  Almost each chapter is giving the reasons why God's judgment is falling and how it will affect a particular country.  Here are just a few thoughts: 1) HEART CHANGE- God wants us to have an Heart Change, but the change must come from His hand, not ours.  Ezekiel 11:19-20  "And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:  20  That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God."   God has to put within us a new spirit, has to take out the stony heart and put into us a heart of flesh.  God can do these things through the new birth, and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  God truly wants us to have a heart change.... but not one that is manufactured by man... one that is Heaven sent!! 2) LIES-Ezekiel 13:22  "Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life:"  Here we see that the false prophets were telling lies.  Now we know that the Devil is the father of all lies because God's Word tells us this:  John 8:44  "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it."   Now these lies of the false prophets weakened the righteous and strengthened the wicked.  Truth will do just the opposite!  These lies made the righteous sad; and the wicked strong by promising life.  It is the righteous that has the promise of life, not the wicked!  Jesus said:  John 10:10  "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."   Jesus (truth) promises eternal life, and abundant life here and now!  So, don't fall for the lies of the Devil.  How do you know you are falling for his lies..... are you sad?  My Bible says:  Philippians 4:4  "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice."   Don't be sad, be glad!! 3) SHORT SUPPLY-Ezekiel 22:30  "And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none."   God is still looking for men!  (and women, and teenagers, and children)   Someone who will take a stand for Him.  Someone who will be counted among those who seek to live a righteous life, separated from the world, and separated unto our God!  A man who is yielded, humble, empowered by the Holy Spirit, willing to be used of God for the sake of God's glory and all eternity!  OH dear God, may you look down today and see men across this earth waving their hands towards Heaven and saying.... I will be that man!!  that woman!!  that teenagers!!  that child!!  Here am I LORD!!!!!  Oh dear Christians, raise you hand towards Heaven and so live your life today that God can see you!! Well, I've got to go for now... have a blessed day!!  Pastor Mike Mutchler