August 21
Ezekiel 20:1-22:16
One needs to ask, "what is the condition of your heart?" "What is your deepest desire?" You need to be honest with yourself and with God when this question is answered. Is your deepest desire to follow God with all of your heart, or is it to follow worldly satisfactions. The answer shouldn't be what sounds best, but what is true. Most are absolutely invested and immersed in this world. Most are secular and all of their focus is fitting into this world and succeeding according to this world's standards. Most despise God. Realize that this word, "despise" does not mean hate, as most think, it means "to take lightly". Most take the world and its dictates seriously, and God lightly. One more question that we must consider. For those who do approach God, what is the condition of our heart when we do so, in prayer, as we approach His Word, in worship, when entering a gathering of fellow believers. If we truly desire a genuine relationship with God, we must avoid being blinded by worldly idols, so that our eyes can be focused on God.
We read in Ezekiel 20:1-3, "It came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, and sat before me. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Have you come to inquire of Me? As I live,” says the Lord God, “I will not be inquired of by you.” ’ These were the elders, yet God saw behind the facade in how they approached Him, as we read further in 20:7-8, "Then I said to them, ‘Each of you, throw away the abominations which are before his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’ But they rebelled against Me and would not obey Me...Understand, the people were making a choice, as we read further in 20:32, " What you have in your mind shall never be, when you say, ‘We will be like the Gentiles, like the families in other countries, serving wood and stone.’"
There are so many reasons why people choose not to read Scripture, not to go to church, etc. Many truly have no desire to enter into a relationship, totally consumed by worldliness (realize this even means our families, our children and grandchildren's activities, etc.). But sadly, of those who seem to have some desire the top reason for not moving forward is they state they don't have the time, they can't fit God into their busy lives. Realize, this is despising God, whether one wants to admit this or not. We must settle in our heart, not make excuses, that which is most important in our heart and mind. Jesus offers eternal salvation in heaven, nothing and no one else offers that. Understand that, and may everyone align their priorities appropriately.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: