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Religion
Wild Obedience By Pastor Phillip Howle web posted July 21, 2010 RELIGION – Ezekiel was a wild dude, read his book. God called him to be a prophet when he was a young man. Ezekiel was to speak the necessary, however unpopular truth of God’s coming judgment to the Israelites. Repentance was essential for the people. Ezekiel’s message was that they must turn to God and stop living like the rest of the pagan nations around them. God used Ezekiel’s life to embody the message he was called to preach. In other words, what Ezekiel said would be backed up by the life he lived. He was to talk the talk and walk the walk. This included living on bread that God first asked him to cook over his own feces (Read it in chapter 4, I can’t make that up). Ezekiel rightly replied, “God come on now, that is crazy!” So, God relented and allowed him to use cow dung, what an awesome and kind God we serve. God was not just being crazy or wanting to make Ezekiel’s life hard, he wanted Ezekiel to show the people how hard life was going to be if they did not repent. They would be reduced to cooking their food over their own feces. At that time, God was at the verge of allowing Babylon to come and conquer them. Ezekiel’s life had to be different in order for people to listen to him and take him seriously as a man of God. His oddness needed to stand out so that people would want to know why he was different. So, here it is for us, how far will your obedience to God go? For most Christians, we are ok with not murdering our neighbor (although being angry at or even hating them many struggle with). We do ok with giving a little to God (but we are usually trying to give the bare minimum and forget about a true tithe). We do ok with coming to church (but living it out all week long is a different story). What I am trying to say is that obedience to God should be a lifestyle that makes you different than the world (Romans 12:1-2)! Now hopefully God will not call you to eat poop bread, but living out God’s word will mean you will have a radically different life than your non-Christian friends. If your life is no different than that of a non-Christian, then maybe you should see what areas of your life God is calling you to further obedience. Obedience may mean making completely different decisions than you have been making. This may not be easy, but unless you are willing to be like Ezekiel and walk the walk and talk the talk, you will always lead an anemic Christian life. People will not see Christ in you, and sadly neither will your children who will develop the same half hearted Christianity you practice. So, if poop bread sounds nasty to you, imagine how a half-hearted Christian sounds to Jesus? Oh, but wait we don’t have to imagine he has already told us in Revelation 3:16 “So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth.” Jesus gives us an example of how He feels about Christians who serve him half-heartedly in Luke 14:34-35 "Now, salt is good, but if salt should lose its taste, how will it be made salty? (35) It isn't fit for the soil or for the manure pile; they throw it out. Anyone who has ears to hear should listen!" Did you get that? Christians are supposed to be the Salt and Light (Matt 5:13-16), but if we are not salty and living for Jesus, we actually ruin manure. I did not even know you could ruin manure. But, bad salt is bad. Bible commentator William Barclay gives more information on salt. First, salt is a preservative. It is the earliest of all preservatives. The Greeks used to say that salt could put a new soul into dead things. Without salt, things putrefy and go bad; with salt, freshness is preserved. That means that true Christianity must act as a preservative against the corruption of the world and not a partaker of it. Second, salt gives food flavor. Food, without salt, can be horribly bland. The Christian, likewise, must be the man who brings flavor into life. The Christian who walks around like a shadow of gloom and a wet blanket is not a true Christian. The Christian is the man who, by his courage, his hope, his joy, and his kindness, brings a new flavor into the life of all people around him. Lastly, salt in Jesus day was used on the land. It was used to make it easier for all things to grow. The Christian must be helping people grow closer to Jesus. That means people who know Jesus and those who don’t even like Jesus. All of this comes from living a Christian life that embodies the message and power of Jesus Christ for the entire world to see. Will you do that this week? Praying God Gives Me Grace & Strength to Always Obey I All He Calls Me To, Pastor Phillip PS. Please checkout our new church website antiochofedgefield.com © Copyright 2010 EdgefieldDaily.com All original
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