Blaspheming God or Glorifying God - Ezekiel 30-32 and I Peter 4
In these chapters in Ezekiel we see the results of blaspheming God. Egypt had rejected the True God, and they had spoken profanely against Him and cursed Him in many ways with their pride and their idols. God gave them a chance to turn to Him, and when they refused He sentenced them to the Pit, which is the same as Hell. The end of this passage is a dramatic depiction of Egypt joining the other nations who had blasphemed God in the torment of the Pit. It is sad, but true. God does not ignore blasphemy.
I Peter 4 exhorts us all to realize that the end of all things is at hand. When we stand before the Lord, we will give an account of our lives. God will judge if we have blasphemed Him or glorified Him. Living a life of sin includes many things that are blasphemous against God. It is rejecting His Lordship, and saying that they way of this world is right. Therefore, to glorify God, we reject these things and the sins of this world, and we seek to live by God's will. We minister for Him and we suffer for Him, if that is what the world dishes out to us. However, in the end, He will make it right for all who have lived lives that bring Him glory.
We live in a world that blasphemes God. All around us people curse God, and they profane the things of God. If we glorify God, we will stand out, and we might be persecuted. However, the eternal consequences of blaspheming God are so severe that we must reject anything that blasphemes Him. We must embrace the things that glorify Him, even though we will be very different. People may think we are crazy, but God will show them that we are doing His will, and they will have to choose whether to blaspheme or to glorify God with us. Let's determine to make the choice clear to those around us by how we live and act like Jesus.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Ezekiel 33-34 and I Peter 5.
I Peter 4 exhorts us all to realize that the end of all things is at hand. When we stand before the Lord, we will give an account of our lives. God will judge if we have blasphemed Him or glorified Him. Living a life of sin includes many things that are blasphemous against God. It is rejecting His Lordship, and saying that they way of this world is right. Therefore, to glorify God, we reject these things and the sins of this world, and we seek to live by God's will. We minister for Him and we suffer for Him, if that is what the world dishes out to us. However, in the end, He will make it right for all who have lived lives that bring Him glory.
We live in a world that blasphemes God. All around us people curse God, and they profane the things of God. If we glorify God, we will stand out, and we might be persecuted. However, the eternal consequences of blaspheming God are so severe that we must reject anything that blasphemes Him. We must embrace the things that glorify Him, even though we will be very different. People may think we are crazy, but God will show them that we are doing His will, and they will have to choose whether to blaspheme or to glorify God with us. Let's determine to make the choice clear to those around us by how we live and act like Jesus.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Ezekiel 33-34 and I Peter 5.