EZEKIEL

What a great meeting we had last night and a great time of prayer and supplication.  We were spiritually challenged and helped.  The food and fellowship was great and the teaching outstanding.  Great truths easily shown and easily applicable.  I'm sure looking forward to today with many testimonies, songs, food, fellowship and teaching awaiting us. I'm in Ezekiel, and here are some thoughts that I had as I read God's Word: 1) UNSEEN IDOLS- Ezekiel 14:7 has this phrase:  "and setteth up his idols in his heart,"  We so often are conscious of the heathen having images set up all around them as their idols, but we seldom think about the fact that their may be idols that are unseen we have set up in our hearts.  Anything that we esteem higher than the LORD, is an idol to us.  Any decision we put over God's will for our lives is an idol to us.  We must be very careful.  John said:  1 John 5:21  "Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen." 2) THEY ONLY- In illustrating how bad Israel had become, God says:  Ezekiel 14:14  "Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD."  Ezekiel 14:20  "Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness."  God is saying that even if these three godly men prayed for the nation, they only would be spared, and not even their sons and daughters!  That is how bad things had become.... no intercessor would help!  Now this also brought to my mind something similar that I had read earlier this week in Jeremiah 15:1 "Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth."  Here God invokes the names of two great prophets.  When put together, it shows us that even Noah, Daniel, Job, Moses, and Samuel themselves..... cannot atone for our wickedness.... but Jesus can!! 3) SIN, DEATH, AND..... PLEASURE?  Ezekiel 18:20  "The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him."   SIN PRODUCES DEATH.  (A death that we deserve because of our sin.)  Ezekiel 18:23  "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?"  BUT GOD DOES NOT TAKE PLEASURE IN OUR DEATH.  (His judgment is righteous, but still He takes no pleasure in having to condemn the ungodly.)  Ezekiel 18:32  "For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye."   SO GOD'S COUNSEL IS FOR US TO TURN FROM OUR WICKEDNESS AND LIVE!  (This can only happen through Jesus Christ!) LORD, thank you for this day.  I love you LORD!  Please let my life reflect that love throughout the day.  Let me walk humbly before my God and men as well.  Let me listen to Your Voice, let me harken to Your instructions.  Flow through me to be a blessing to others.  Let my influence spread that Your name might be exalted.  Remove me from any sinful thoughts and actions.  Take away any hint of pride and haughtiness.  Let me seek Your face, let me walk in Your presence, let me praise and adore Your name.  Amen! Well, I have more to write about, but I'm out of time.  May God bless you and yours today!  Thanks for joining me.  Pastor Mike Mutchler