Month: September 2019

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Is God your Coach?

ezekiel 20 coach2aEzekiel 19 to 21

If you are an avid sports fan you are familiar with this scenario. The coach calls the team to the bench and then gives a pep talk or a scolding, depending on the score. The team high fives and returns to the field or floor. Yet, the coach’s words go by the wayside. We hear whistles and calls for a time-out and the coach again gives his team the plays to follow. But, once again the team seems to forget the coach’s words for once again they flounder and fail. The scoreboard reflects this lack of teamwork and following the playbook.

Ezekiel’s illustration of Israel is like that game. The Israelites coach is God and He gives the plays but when they return to the field it is as if they want to do their own thing. Instead of following the plays God has for them such as honor the Sabbath and put away idols, they rebelled and outwardly said yes but in their heart said: “we will be like the nations who serve gods of wood and stone.” As their coach, God rages in heaven yet in his mercy He calls them back to the bench over and over.  Why is God so patient? It is because of His love and so they know He is Lord.” He is the Royal Coach. His playbook is never wrong.

Discipleship is like this illustration. Jesus is the coach and you as the believer are part of the team. If you follow the playbook you will hear “well done!” but if not you soon will see the other team winning.

So the question is this: Is God/Jesus your coach and if He is, are you following His playbook? Whose side are you on?

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Ezekiel’s Four Parables

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Ezekiel  15 to 18 In the NT Jesus told three parables about things or people that were lost and found. One is about a family with two lost boys who were lost both physically and spiritually. Ezekiel’s four parables mirror this story in many ways because it is true, parables are earthly stories with a heavenly purpose.

Parables: #1 In the branch parable we see a branch full of life thrown into the fire. Life without God is like the fires of hell.  #2 In the unfaithful bride parable we see a rags to riches story. God takes us from the gutter and bestows his blessings yet the lure of the world is always at the doorstep of our heart.  Be on guard!  #3 A beautiful and prized eagle, God, raised up a people yet a false eagle, Satan, offered promises that were false. Beware false “eagles” come dressed as sheep in wolves clothing.  #4 In the parable of the two sons we see a family whose lives mirrored the NT story. The younger was restless and disrespectful of his father. Seeking his inheritance he left and walked the world.  The older son served his father but with an ungrateful heart. The younger returned and sought reconciliation but the older remained unforgiving. Confession of sin is the first step back to God.

Israel had been blessed by God but was unfaithful and ungrateful. Yet, like the prodigal’s father, God was always waiting to restore the relationship. She would need to return to the Father in confession and repentance. What would she do?

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God Doesn’t Tickle Our Ears!

Pantomime with red heart on the pink background

Ezekiel 12-14  Marcel Marceau is arguably the most famous mime artist of the century. Using white face and dramatic eyes, he referred to mime as the “art of silence.”  In the quiet, the audience can reflect what the actor is explaining without words and cause dialog after. God had Ezekiel pantomime what was happening in Jerusalem some 900 miles away. The exile’s ears were being tickled by the messages of the false prophets: Peace is coming tomorrow!

Are your ears being tickled too?

God told Ezekiel:  “While they are watching dig a hole in the wall; while they are watching raise your baggage and carry it out in the dark; lastly cover your face as an object lesson of shame.” Jeremiah’s words should have come rushing back to their memories. Instead, people came asking, what are you doing?

Ezekiel’s mime gave them food for thought. Without words, they could watch, discern and heed God’s message of truth yet they still were a hard-hearted people. Even today men watch world events and ask: What is going on?

God used mime drama another time to reveal His eternal plan for our salvation. Christ died for our sins; He was buried and rose on the third day according to the scriptures. Do you believe this or are you saying; I will choose God tomorrow when it is convenient? God doesn’t tickle our ears. He tells us the truth:

We all are sinners. We all must choose God’s way to be saved.   

Pray for God to open your eyes to see, your ears to hear and your heart to understand this truth.

 

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God Must Get Tired of this Nonsense!

Ezekiel 8 to 11 “ God’s Way or My Way?”

Ezekiel 8 to 11 El Roi

In the first chapter of Romans, Paul wrote: they knew God …yet they did not honor Him as God. Centuries before, the religious leaders were doing it in Ezekiel’s day. Their whole purpose; drive God far from His sanctuary. Today: What I do behind closed doors is my business because “The Lord does not see me.”

What a difference from the words of Hagar who called God “El-Roi,” the God who sees me.

Ezekiel’s Temple tour revealed four idols: (1) the idol of jealousy—“I wish, I wish, I wish.” (2) the idol of self-indulgence—pleasure is the goal; (3) the idol of self-sufficiency—I will just try harder, do better; and (4) the idol of entertainment worship.  It all boils down to this: When men want to do Christianity their way, God will give them over to a depraved mind to do that which is not proper. He removes His hand of protection and unleashes the enemies of the world. God showed Ezekiel what Paul noted: Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.

Yet in all of this depravity, God’s grace is present. The righteous were to be marked on their forehead lest the executioner mistake them.

God seals all the righteous and gives the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.

Yes, God does see! Yes, God knows who are His.  

 

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What do you trust in?

Ezekiel 4 to 6 unchangeable

Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. [Psa 20:7]

There were no newspapers, no Instagram, no Facebook, no cellphones— only miles and miles of desert sand. Ezekiel’s fellow captives had some serious questions.

Why are we here? What is happening in Jerusalem 900 miles away? 

God used Ezekiel to dramatize the news as He revealed it. God in his mercy wanted them to know how He saw their lives. He wanted them to repent. Over and over Ezekiel spoke these words in their ears: “I the Lord have spoken” or “then they will know that I am the Lord.” and more importantly: I have not forgotten you.

He wanted them to trust Him—even if they didn’t understand. Back in Jerusalem, they had worshiped idols on the mountain tops and yes even in the homes and the temple. Because He loved them He sent them prophets to warn them: do not trust in these idols, they will fail you—but the words fell on deaf ears. Now in the plains outside Babylon, Ezekiel asks:

Where are your idols now? Did they save you? Do you have them now?

Idols rust and decay, but this one truth remains; God loves yesterday as He does today and will tomorrow. He will use whatever means He considers best so that we might return to Him and repent.

The question remains: Do you trust in chariots (idols) or in Him?

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Why Me Lord?

Ezekiel 1 – 3 Ezekiel found himself celebrating his 30th birthday in Babylon having been recruited by Nebuchadnezzar’s squad of thugs. So goes the birthday! No more being a priest because there is no more temple, no more Jerusalem. Just when life couldn’t get any lower, God steps in and says I am calling you to be my prophet/watchman to your people. God revealed His glory and Ezekiel fell on his face in adoration. Yet when God laid out his plan, filled him with His Spirit, fed him the Word, like Moses, Ezekiel says “why me?”

ezekiel 1 to 3 why me

We fall into the same pattern. God reveals His glory and we are in awe. But then reality steps in and God says I want you to “go and make disciples”–beginning at home.  You know the people, you know the language. After traveling over 900 miles with this crew, Ezekiel knew their behavior, attitude, and grumbling. No wonder Ezekiel said, “why me?” No wonder Moses said, “why me?” No wonder we say the exact same words because familiarity breeds contempt. We know their shortcomings. We know their attitudes. We know that they didn’t listen before so why would they listen now?

Do you say “why me?” when God calls you to a ministry? If God fills you with His Spirit, feeds you with His Word, you are ready. Welcome to the Watchman on the Wall Club.

Picture:  © Marek Uliasz – Dreamstime.com

 

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When was the last time you wept for others?

Lamentations 1 to 5 “Do You Weep for Your People?”

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In Israel long ago God raised a prophet to tell God’s saving message but the people turned away.  For 45 yrs. Jeremiah faithfully reminded the people of their sin and consequences with no repentance.  And so, just as Jeremiah prophesied, the nation was destroyed both physically and spiritually. God’s discipline was harsh and long and Jeremiah’s heart was broken.

As Jeremiah wept we should also. We should weep for our countrymen who hear the gospel and reject it. We should weep for ourselves if we have failed to share the truth. But even as he wept he knew this truth which never changes:

The Lord’s loyal kindness never ceases; his compassions never end. They are fresh every morning; your faithfulness is abundant!

Jeremiah poured out his pain in his writing and as we read these words, tears run down our faces for those who have heard and reject and for those who have yet to hear.

Are we weeping along with Jeremiah?

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Fight or Surrender

Jeremiah 50 to 52 The book of Jeremiah is long and there are some pointed lessons to learn and they come through the tale of two kings; Zedekiah and Jehoiachin.

Jeremiah 52 fight or surrender.2ajpg

Both had the privilege of having Jeremiah speak the words of God to them and both had sought the advice of him as the Babylonians were crouching at their doorstep. Both were placed in the position of leadership yet failed because of their wickedness. One believed Jeremiah, surrendered and saved his family. The other rejected and lost his family and the royal household. Both ended up in a Babylonian prison yet one was released after 37 yrs. to sit at the king’s table. The other would die in his bronze chains and in blindness remembering the faces of his children as they were slaughtered. Neither would have a descendant to take their place on the throne.

What is our take away from these two men and their end? When we ask God what to do and He tells us, we have a choice; we can keep fighting God or surrender. God says surrender your life to me and you will have everlasting life but often we say we can save ourselves. I can fix myself. I can…I can…etc. etc. etc. Yet, Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me.”

Surrender to God and be saved; reject and enter a Christ-less eternity.

 

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It Isn’t Just Faith!

Jeremiah 47 to 49  The countries of Moab and Ammon had been protected for centuries by the mighty hand of God. When the children of Israel left Egypt, God said they could not walk on their ground or even ask for a morsel of bread from them. And so,  Moab and Ammon stood by and watched as Israel walked on by. Just because Israel was forbidden to ask does not mean Moab and Ammon could not have offered. Yet, they never offered a crumb or a drop of water.

Centuries later when the Babylonians entered Israel their hatred rose to new heights. They waited until the land was stripped bare. Then like looters, they sought to take possession of the land and its riches. God’s anger rose in his nostrils. This time God would no longer protect them but allow them to be treated as they had treated Israel. They would feel the pain of the Babylonians as well, in fact so much so that today there is not a remnant of them to be found.

jeremiah 47 to 49 meeting needs1a

These chapters remind us of the story of the rich man and Lazarus of Luke 16. The rich man walked by Lazarus each day to and from his duties elsewhere. He never offered a crumb of bread to the beggar Lazarus who laid at his gate. He had much but offered nothing. When death darkened the door of each man, only one was found in Paradise: Lazarus.

Beloved, when God places those in need at our doorstep, we must reach out and offer that crumb. God is watching.

We reveal our faith by what we do not just by what we say.

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