Good morning, all!
Father, thank you Lord for another day in Your kingdom. Thank You for Your provision, Your grace and Your word. We know You never leave our side, You walk with us wherever Your roads in life takes us. Remind us Lord when we face challenges, setbacks, hard times, to never let go of Your hand, Amen.
Ezekiel 47
3 Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?
Son of man, these people have set up idols in their hearts. They listen to things that will make them fall into a trap. Shouldn’t they seek Me first?
4 Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;
Tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: The people of Israel have set up idols in their hearts and fallen into sin, and then they go to a prophet asking for a message. So I, the LORD, will respond to based on the MULTITUDE of your idols.
5 That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.
I will do this to capture the minds and hearts of all my people because they are strangers to me because they listen to their idols.
6 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn [yourselves] from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
Therefore, tell the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Repent and TURN away from your idols, and stop all your useless ways.
Bottom line
What if you believe a lie? Would it impact your life? The way you live? That is what Ezekiel is calling out in this passage, God is telling Israel they have set up idols in their HEART. How is that possible? [Phl 3:19 AMP] Whose fate is destruction, whose god is their belly [their worldly appetite, their sensuality, their thoughts], and whose glory is in their shame–who focus their mind on earthly and temporal things. You know how you make your belly…seat of emotions…a god? You LISTEN to it and when you listen to it you give it power and authority in your life NOT God. Of course, God is love…He wants only the very best for His children, so He warns us to TURN away from our idols…don’t listen to them. Why? Well first, what is the 1st commandment? “Thou shalt have NO other God before ME”…it’s number ONE for a reason. Once we break the first commandment, we have NO shot of getting anything right after that, scripture say we add sin to sin, makes sense if the first step I take is wrong then the second one will also be wrong. You know where those steps lead to? It says our FATE is destruction…we don’t realize were living a destructive lifestyle that leads to problems and they never seem to leave.
[Pro 17:13 NLT] If you repay good with evil, evil will never leave your house. Evil will NEVER leave your house; we must TURN away our attention from these idols and turn our attention to God. Think about it, anything that God has to say must be TRUTH…scripture says it’s impossible for God to LIE to us.
[Isa 44:20 NIV] Such a person feeds on ashes; a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, “Is not this idol in my right hand a lie? Call me crazy but if God loves us, don’t you think He might be a bit upset if someone is lying to us? Especially when the one lying is ME!!! He tells us right here we’re holding a LIE in our RIGHT hand…the RIGHT always speaks of power and authority…Matthew says His sheep are on His right hand and the goats on the left…who are the goats? Those that don’t listen because they’re too busy butting heads-Ha! Do you remember when you were little holding your Father or Mother’s hand ? Sure, why? TRUST & LOVE, we found comfort and security. Think about it, can you hold your idol and God’s RIGHT hand at the same time? You can only trust one, love one. Do you suppose that’s why God said we’re STRANGERS to Him? If we truly knew the nature and character of God, why would we chase anything but Him? Why would we trust anything but Him? And even when we do God is sovereign…He will only do what’s best for us, He will NOT leave us strangers forever. And just like the Beatles song “I want to hold your hand” well so does God.
[Hos 2:7 KJV] And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find [them]: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then [was it] better with me than now. Eventually we quit chasing our lovers…idols…we realize they don’t help and they don’t comfort and just like Gomer we return to our FIRST love because my life was better with Him than without Him. May we turn from all empty pursuits and return to only One who will truly love and comfort us always…hold His hand only.
Point to Ponder
You need help this morning? [Isa 41:13 NIV] For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. All you have to do is ask, God is always ready…He will grab your hand…No fear!
May we always hold His hand and never let go, In Him Phil
Faith – Family – Friends
