EZEKIEL

Here are some truths from Ezekiel for you today:   1) GOD KNOWS OUR THOUGHTS- Ezekiel 11:5 says:  "... for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them."  God knows every thought that we have, and we need to be mindful to ask forgiveness for every thought that is not right in the sight of God..  As a maturing Christian, it is often not our actions, but our thoughts that are displeasing to God.  Remember our Goal:  2 Corinthians 10:5  "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"  It's not easy, but it is our goal to have every thought be pleasing to our Savior. 2) ARE WE USING WHAT WE HAVE?  Ezek. 12:2 says of Israel, "which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not."  Do we see and hear the things of God?  I know that God can speak to our spirit each day through His Word, and there are time in my life when I have heard almost out loud God's clear direction for my life.  The song, The Little Drummer Boy has a line which says: Do you see what I see?  and later, Do you hear what I hear?  Do we have the spiritual ear wax out of our ears?  Have we taken our spiritual blinders off?  We truly need to be listening and watching every single day for God to guide us and use us.  Let that be our goal each day, and now you have a purpose of living for every single day! 3) IDOLS- Ezekiel 14:3 says "Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart,..."  So it is today in America, most people do not have idols in their homes they bow down to, but so many have idols in their hearts that they totally give into.  When we put anything above God, that is an Idol, and most of the time, it takes place in our hearts!! 4) THREE GREAT MEN- In Chapter 14:14, God says that if Noah, Daniel, and Job prayed for Israel to be spared, that God would only spare these three and not the nation.  This shows how far gone the nation had come.  If fact, God says in verse 20, that he would not even spare their children, but only them!  The nation had turned completely from God. 5) LIVE!  In Ezekiel 16:6, God is speaking to Israel and likens to seeing her on the day she was born, and no one cared for her.  She was a baby that was delivered, but not even cleaned up after the delivery.  And God is saying:  "And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live."  God wants the best for us!!  Remember: (Jer 29:11)  "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."   God has good plans for every life.... IF we will look to Him!!  Heaven is waiting for us dear child.  Don't get too upset with life's circumstances... they are only for a vapor that appeareth for a little while, and then vanisheth away.  Take heart... God loves us!!  God says to each of us:  "LIVE!" 6) SHALL IT PROSPER? - Three times in Ezekiel chapter 17, so we read that phrase:  "Shall it prosper?"  God is speaking to a disobedient nation and saying to them, is your disobedience going to prosper in my sight?  The answer is "no!".  Our disobedience never prospers.  But obedience does!  We need to walk with God closely and let Him cause our lives to prosper!  Not our efforts so much, but His working in our lives, is what gets the job done.  Now, it takes both, but our reliance must be on His part, not on ours though we work very hard.  7) DOES GOD DELIGHT IN JUDGMENT? Ezekiel 18:23 says:  "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?"  God wants all to come to repentance and trust Christ as their Savior!  He does not delight in judging lost souls!  He wants them to be saved!!   May God bless you my friends.  Pastor Mike Mutchler