August 10
Ezra 10:1-44 | PS 31:9-18 | Prov 21:3 | 1 Cor 6:1-20
Can I do "X" and still be a Christian? Do I have to give up this or that and still be a Christian? We must all realize that Jesus never said clean up your act first and then follow Me. He said, come follow Me, and I will help you clean up your act. We read in Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." The question is not can we get away with something and still be a follower of Christ, it is whether not that thing is impeding our walk with Him. Would Jesus participate with me in that thing? Does it make me more or less like Him? Jesus came to free us, not give a list of "do's" and "don't's". We read in 1 Corinthians 6:12, "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any." It really comes down to choosing whether we desire freedom in Christ or some sort of hybrid walk, partially in Him and partially without Him. We will all continue to sin, since we are not Him, but what is it that we purpose in our heart, that we knowingly choose to do or not do.
We see in Ezra a man who did not compromise with God's Word, and did not compromise with the actions of man. We read in Ezra 10:1, "Now while Ezra was praying, and while he was confessing, weeping, and bowing down before the house of God, a very large assembly of men, women, and children gathered to him from Israel; for the people wept very bitterly." We then read in 10:6, "Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib; and when he came there, he ate no bread and drank no water, for he mourned because of the guilt of those from the captivity." Once personally convicted, nothing could stop them from moving forward in Him, as we read in 10:9, "... and all the people sat in the open square of the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of heavy rain." They then repented as they changed their mind and direction and moved from their own will into God's will, as we read in 10:11, "Now therefore, make confession to the Lord God of your fathers, and do His will...". This is how revival takes place.
If we want to see change in our walk, change in our families, etc., genuine revival, then we must stand resolute on the things of God. How many of us send our children off to college and tell them how many times they can possibly cheat on tests, show up to class late, how much mischief they can likely get away with and still graduate college? How many advise our children who are getting married as to how many times they can lie to their spouses, cheat on them, belittle them, etc. and still remain married. We would never do any of these things, because they would compromise the best possible outcome and more importantly, God's standards. Like these, we must all decide if we will indeed enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ. Once we do, we should not see how much we can still get away with and still remain in that relationship. His love is perfect, ours is not. His desire is for us to place more and more of us under the power of His Spirit. That is freedom. Anything else maintains some of the bondage that He came to free us from.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: