Ezekiel 14:6 (KJV) – Thus saith the Lord God; REPENT, and turn yourselves from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
The word of the Lord had come unto Ezekiel to speak to the elders of Israel in this passage of scripture, but just think about how relevant this word is to each of us today. How many idols have you set up in your heart? Things you might have never considered as idols, yet upon careful examination could not be denied.
Many people have a false notion that an idol is just a statue that some worship, but in reality an idol is anything that you love or care about more than God. It can be a job, a spouse, your children, a hobby, etc. An idol can also be a false image God, yes like statues, but also false beliefs such as believing in a God that accepts your sin and would never judge you for it in order to indulge in your sinful vices. This is very prevalent in society today. I believe one of the reasons people have so many false ideas about God is because they do not immerse themselves in the word of God. They will go to a church service once a week, learn some Christian clichés and traditions of men and adopt them as the word of God. We must be like the Bereans in acts 17:11, who receive the word with all readiness of mind, but also search the scriptures daily to see if those things are so.
Exodus 20:3-5 is a command written directly by the finger of God, You are not to have any idols in your life. The truth is that we need to examine our lives against the word of God… Have you any idols in your heart? Repent and turn yourselves from your idols. Seek the LORD while he may be found, call upon him while he is near.
Revelation 21:8 (KJV)- But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
The truth is God will judge sin… So turn from all your idols today!
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Spurgeon's morning & evening- morning 12/18
"Rend your heart, and not your garments."
— Joel 2:13
Garment-rendering and other outward signs of religious emotion, are easily manifested and are frequently hypocritical; but to feel true repentance is far more difficult, and consequently far less common. Men will attend to the most multiplied and minute ceremonial regulations--for such things are pleasing to the flesh--but true religion is too humbling, too heart-searching, too thorough for the tastes of the carnal men; they prefer something more ostentatious, flimsy, and worldly. Outward observances are temporarily comfortable; eye and ear are pleased; self-conceit is fed, and self- righteousness is puffed up: but they are ultimately delusive, for in the article of death, and at the day of judgment, the soul needs something more substantial than ceremonies and rituals to lean upon. Apart from vital godliness all religion is utterly vain; offered without a sincere heart, every form of worship is a solemn sham and an impudent mockery of the majesty of heaven.
HEART-RENDING is divinely wrought and solemnly felt. It is a secret grief which is personally experienced, not in mere form, but as a deep, soul-moving work of the Holy Spirit upon the inmost heart of each believer. It is not a matter to be merely talked of and believed in, but keenly and sensitively felt in every living child of the living God. It is powerfully humiliating, and completely sin-purging; but then it is sweetly preparative for those gracious consolations which proud unhumbled spirits are unable to receive; and it is distinctly discriminating, for it belongs to the elect of God, and to them alone.
The text commands us to rend our hearts, but they are naturally hard as marble: how, then, can this be done? We must take them to Calvary: a dying Saviour's voice rent the rocks once, and it is as powerful now. O blessed Spirit, let us hear the death-cries of Jesus, and our hearts shall be rent even as men rend their vestures in the day of lamentation.
— Joel 2:13
Garment-rendering and other outward signs of religious emotion, are easily manifested and are frequently hypocritical; but to feel true repentance is far more difficult, and consequently far less common. Men will attend to the most multiplied and minute ceremonial regulations--for such things are pleasing to the flesh--but true religion is too humbling, too heart-searching, too thorough for the tastes of the carnal men; they prefer something more ostentatious, flimsy, and worldly. Outward observances are temporarily comfortable; eye and ear are pleased; self-conceit is fed, and self- righteousness is puffed up: but they are ultimately delusive, for in the article of death, and at the day of judgment, the soul needs something more substantial than ceremonies and rituals to lean upon. Apart from vital godliness all religion is utterly vain; offered without a sincere heart, every form of worship is a solemn sham and an impudent mockery of the majesty of heaven.
HEART-RENDING is divinely wrought and solemnly felt. It is a secret grief which is personally experienced, not in mere form, but as a deep, soul-moving work of the Holy Spirit upon the inmost heart of each believer. It is not a matter to be merely talked of and believed in, but keenly and sensitively felt in every living child of the living God. It is powerfully humiliating, and completely sin-purging; but then it is sweetly preparative for those gracious consolations which proud unhumbled spirits are unable to receive; and it is distinctly discriminating, for it belongs to the elect of God, and to them alone.
The text commands us to rend our hearts, but they are naturally hard as marble: how, then, can this be done? We must take them to Calvary: a dying Saviour's voice rent the rocks once, and it is as powerful now. O blessed Spirit, let us hear the death-cries of Jesus, and our hearts shall be rent even as men rend their vestures in the day of lamentation.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Let's Be witnesses
The mission of the church is, in reality, a continuation of Christ's earthly ministry…
John 14:12- Jesus states, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Jesus’ purpose for coming to the earth was for the redeeming of men's souls. As we see in Matt. 18:11 where Jesus states, "For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost" and again in Luke 19:10, where he says, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
What we all need to realize is that as Christians, we are all called to share the gospel. Whether we think we have the gift of evangelism or not.
In Matthew 4:19, Jesus said, “Follow me and I will make you fisher’s of men”. The truth is that if you are not fishing, you are not following. Some people don’t want to fish because they don’t want to get their hands dirty, they think, “If I catch this fish then I have to clean it.” But it is Jesus who cleans the fish, not man.
Acts 1:8 declares,
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Your Jerusalem can be considered as those people who are closest to you, your Judea and Samaria are those people who are near, but different from you, and to the ends of the earth should be taken literally, that means everyone! No exceptions, no preferences, no picking and choosing who you feel like witnessing to.
I tell you… It will be a fearful thing to stand before a Just and Holy God on the Day of Judgment and have to give an account for those times that you knew God was telling you to witness to someone and yet you willfully disobeyed and did not.
A lot of times we use the bible verse that says “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”. (Matthew 5:16), and we think that are deeds can be a witness all by themselves, Yes our deeds are a great witness, but a lot of times people see our deeds and give us glory instead of God. We need to not only witness with our deeds, but also with our speech. In the same way our gospel should not only come in words, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost. (1 thess 1:5). You see, the scripture says when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, then you will be His witnesses. It is very difficult to be God's witness apart from the power of the Holy Spirit and when we do these deeds of love and mercy, we need to tell people where the power comes from. So deeds without words are kind of a half a witness, I believe God wants both."
We can share the gospel anywhere we go, we are not limited, we have freedom of speech here! There is a Christian optometrist, who is pretty wise. He uses Biblical verses as his eye chart. He will sit the patient down, covers one eye and says, "Now read that." The patient begins to read.. "There is none righteous, no not one”. Then he says, "Now read that second line." "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Line three “The wages of sin is death”. Now, there is a guy who is thinking. He is using his work to be a witness. We should all be that bold!
So, there are four possible responses to this call to be Christ's witnesses everywhere. We can say like Moses, who me? We can say like Jonah, not me. We can say like Jeremiah, why me? Or we can say like Isaiah, send me. Send me Lord. Let those who know, tell those who don't.
John 14:12- Jesus states, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Jesus’ purpose for coming to the earth was for the redeeming of men's souls. As we see in Matt. 18:11 where Jesus states, "For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost" and again in Luke 19:10, where he says, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
What we all need to realize is that as Christians, we are all called to share the gospel. Whether we think we have the gift of evangelism or not.
In Matthew 4:19, Jesus said, “Follow me and I will make you fisher’s of men”. The truth is that if you are not fishing, you are not following. Some people don’t want to fish because they don’t want to get their hands dirty, they think, “If I catch this fish then I have to clean it.” But it is Jesus who cleans the fish, not man.
Acts 1:8 declares,
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Your Jerusalem can be considered as those people who are closest to you, your Judea and Samaria are those people who are near, but different from you, and to the ends of the earth should be taken literally, that means everyone! No exceptions, no preferences, no picking and choosing who you feel like witnessing to.
I tell you… It will be a fearful thing to stand before a Just and Holy God on the Day of Judgment and have to give an account for those times that you knew God was telling you to witness to someone and yet you willfully disobeyed and did not.
A lot of times we use the bible verse that says “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”. (Matthew 5:16), and we think that are deeds can be a witness all by themselves, Yes our deeds are a great witness, but a lot of times people see our deeds and give us glory instead of God. We need to not only witness with our deeds, but also with our speech. In the same way our gospel should not only come in words, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost. (1 thess 1:5). You see, the scripture says when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, then you will be His witnesses. It is very difficult to be God's witness apart from the power of the Holy Spirit and when we do these deeds of love and mercy, we need to tell people where the power comes from. So deeds without words are kind of a half a witness, I believe God wants both."
We can share the gospel anywhere we go, we are not limited, we have freedom of speech here! There is a Christian optometrist, who is pretty wise. He uses Biblical verses as his eye chart. He will sit the patient down, covers one eye and says, "Now read that." The patient begins to read.. "There is none righteous, no not one”. Then he says, "Now read that second line." "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Line three “The wages of sin is death”. Now, there is a guy who is thinking. He is using his work to be a witness. We should all be that bold!
So, there are four possible responses to this call to be Christ's witnesses everywhere. We can say like Moses, who me? We can say like Jonah, not me. We can say like Jeremiah, why me? Or we can say like Isaiah, send me. Send me Lord. Let those who know, tell those who don't.
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