Ezekiel 11:16-18
16 “Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.’
17 “Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again.’
18 “They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. 19 I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. 20 Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God. 21 But as for those whose hearts are devoted to their vile images and detestable idols, I will bring down on their own heads what they have done, declares the Sovereign LORD.”
There are a lot of great messages to believers today that are warm and fuzzy. Oh yes, there are many blessings available for believers today. Yet, what about so many who as children of God who have chosen to live in sin and refuse to let go of it. It is not fun to be a prophet of doom and gloom and I rarely write like this but reading back over Old Testament passages like that of Ezekial, when God’s people hold on to sin and make themselves idols, blessings stopped and chastisement followed.
What does this have to do with the children of God today? I fear that much of the Christian population today has removed Jesus from the throne and placed themselves upon it. Consumerism and money have taken the place of God. People seek to fill the void inside of them by buying more, doing more, accomplishing more, feeling more, experiencing more and having Jesus as an additive to the mix of things they add to their life.
Jesus cannot be something we add to our life as we worship many things, mainly ourselves. Yes most of us do not bow down to statues, or even pray to our money but our actions show that we love money and ourselves more than Christ. It is sad to see the horrible things that happened to Israel when they worshiped other God’s but it is beautiful to see the restoration available to His children as they return to God and put off their destestable acts and idols.
American Christianity is in a sad state and I hope that it will not take great calamity before the children of God put Jesus back on the throne. I pray that we will repent of all sin. I pray that we will make Christ number one in every part of our lives. I pray that our hearts of stone will be broken as we see ourselves compared to a Mighty and Holy God. God I pray that the church in America will awaken to its idols, pride, lust and lay them all at your altar. I pray that we will quit pointing fingers at the lost and focus on getting rid of the plank in our own eyes. I pray that we will experience a revival that will rock not only our nation but the world. I pray that You will fall upon this nation in a mighty way.
REVIVAL STARTS WITH YOU please cast down your idols and return to a loving Father.
2 Chronicles 7:14
New International Version (NIV)
14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
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