November 16, 2006 - Ezekiel 3-4 and Hebrews 11:20-40
I believe that God wants us to do some soul searching when we read passages like these two we read today. He wants us to ask ourselves if we are willing to exercise the kind of steadfast strong faith in Him that it takes to make a difference to those around us. It must begin in our own hearts. We have to decide to trust God, and then, He can increase our faith. Are you willing to be an Ezekiel or one of those mentioned in Hebrews 11, if that is what God calls you to do? I hope you will consider that question as you read His Word today.
God called on Ezekiel to be a watchman to the house of Israel in exile in Babylon. (3:17) It was his job to warn those who strayed from the truth, whether they were wicked people or righteous people. If he did not warn them, he would have their blood on his hands. That means that God would hold him partially responsible for their failure to obey God. I believe God does the same thing for us today when He leads us to witness to someone or to warn someone about their sin. I know in the day of Judgment I will have the blood of some people on my hands, because I failed to warn them, but I want to keep that stain to a minimum. I want to be a faithful watchman. Then, Ezekiel was called to physically act out the siege of Jerusalem to remind the people in exile what had happened. Maybe God will call you and me to do something to help people see God's message instead of just hearing it. Would you be faithful to the Lord, if He called you to act out a message for Him? I hope you would follow Him in that way, too.
The list of faithful at the end of Hebrews 11 is very impressive, too. It contains those who were rewarded with victory because of their faith, but it contains the names of those who were persecuted because of their faith, too. Do you have the faith in the Lord to stand firm in the face of suffering and even death? I pray that all of us would be willing to die for Jesus, who died for us. I pray that we will be included in that group "of whom the world was not worthy."(v.38) Heaven will be a little sweeter for those who hear "well done" from the lips of our Lord Jesus.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Ezekiel 5-7 and Hebrews 12.
God called on Ezekiel to be a watchman to the house of Israel in exile in Babylon. (3:17) It was his job to warn those who strayed from the truth, whether they were wicked people or righteous people. If he did not warn them, he would have their blood on his hands. That means that God would hold him partially responsible for their failure to obey God. I believe God does the same thing for us today when He leads us to witness to someone or to warn someone about their sin. I know in the day of Judgment I will have the blood of some people on my hands, because I failed to warn them, but I want to keep that stain to a minimum. I want to be a faithful watchman. Then, Ezekiel was called to physically act out the siege of Jerusalem to remind the people in exile what had happened. Maybe God will call you and me to do something to help people see God's message instead of just hearing it. Would you be faithful to the Lord, if He called you to act out a message for Him? I hope you would follow Him in that way, too.
The list of faithful at the end of Hebrews 11 is very impressive, too. It contains those who were rewarded with victory because of their faith, but it contains the names of those who were persecuted because of their faith, too. Do you have the faith in the Lord to stand firm in the face of suffering and even death? I pray that all of us would be willing to die for Jesus, who died for us. I pray that we will be included in that group "of whom the world was not worthy."(v.38) Heaven will be a little sweeter for those who hear "well done" from the lips of our Lord Jesus.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Ezekiel 5-7 and Hebrews 12.