August 31, 2012

"You Did Not Remember the Days of Your Youth" (8/31)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Ezekiel 16-17.

“But you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot because of your fame, and you poured out your harlotries on every passer-by who might be willing. You took some of your clothes, made for yourself high places of various colors and played the harlot on them, which should never come about nor happen. You also took your beautiful jewels made of My gold and of My silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself male images that you might play the harlot with them. […] Moreover, you took your sons and daughters whom you had borne to Me and sacrificed them to idols to be devoured. Were your harlotries so small a matter? You slaughtered My children and offered them up to idols by causing them to pass through the fire” (Ezekiel 16:15-21).

The people of Jerusalem had become completely entangled in idolatry to the point in which they were even sacrificing their own children. How could they get to such a point? They forgot their past.
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August 31, 2012

Gospel Preaching and Ice Cream Parties

Recently, a local church here in Bowling Green held a weekend gospel meeting. The announcement that appeared on the front page of their website inviting people to attend also contained an invitation to an “Ice Cream Meet n’ Eat” that would be held at the home of one of the members.

Incorporating this invitation into the announcement on the church’s website for the gospel meeting makes it easy for one to get the impression that this ice cream party was an official event sponsored and paid for by the church. The fact that it was located at a member’s house would not necessarily indicate that the church was uninvolved. A church might decide to host a social event at such a location in order to provide a more casual environment or because they church does not (yet) have a fellowship hall or similar facility in which to host the event on-site. Denominations host social events on their property and off-site all of the time. People are accustomed to these things happening. So even though social events have no place in the work of the church (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:22, 34), many people would not think twice about it.

Though I do not know this for a fact, I assume that this particular ice cream party was paid for by individual members and not by the congregation (even though the announcement somehow ended up on the church’s website embedded within the invitation to the gospel meeting). However, this does beg the question: Is it appropriate to use social events (like ice cream parties) as a means of enticing people to come listen to the gospel?
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August 30, 2012

“By Their Own Righteousness They Could Only Deliver Themselves” (8/30)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Ezekiel 13-15.

“‘Son of man, if a country sins against Me by committing unfaithfulness, and I stretch out My hand against it, destroy its supply of bread, send famine against it and cut off from it both man and beast, even though these three men, Noah, Daniel and Job were in its midst, by their own righteousness they could only deliver themselves,’ declares the Lord God.

“‘If I were to cause wild beasts to pass through the land and they depopulated it, and it became desolate so that no one would pass through it because of the beasts, though these three men were in its midst, as I live,’ declares the Lord God, ‘they could not deliver either their sons or their daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the country would be desolate’” (Ezekiel 14:13-16).

The three individuals mentioned – Noah, Daniel, and Job – were known for their trust in God and their obedience to Him. Each one was delivered from some great ordeal: Noah from the flood, Daniel from the lion’s den, and Job from his severe hardship and loss.
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August 29, 2012

Government Aid Hindering the Spread of the Gospel

The following is a quote from J.D. Tant (1861-1941) containing some of his observations about how government aid to the Indian tribes not only provided a disincentive for them to work, but also made it much more difficult to reach them with the gospel.
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August 29, 2012

Those Who Sigh Over All the Abominations (8/29)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Ezekiel 9-12.

“Then He cried out in my hearing with a loud voice saying, ‘Draw near, O executioners of the city, each with his destroying weapon in his hand.’ Behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate which faces north, each with his shattering weapon in his hand; and among them was a certain man clothed in linen with a writing case at his loins. And they went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

“Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub on which it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed in linen at whose loins was the writing case. The Lord said to him, ‘Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst.‘ But to the others He said in my hearing, ‘Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have pity and do not spare. Utterly slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, but do not touch any man on whom is the mark; and you shall start from My sanctuary.’ So they started with the elders who were before the temple” (Ezekiel 9:1-6).

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August 28, 2012

"The Lord Does Not See Us" (8/28)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Ezekiel 5-8.

When the people of God sinned with their idols, they justified their actions like many try to justify their sins today – they convinced themselves that God would not notice or pay attention to their sin.

“Then He said to me, ‘Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are committing in the dark, each man in the room of his carved images? For they say, “The Lord does not see us; the Lord has forsaken the land”‘” (Ezekiel 8:12).

Because God did not do what they thought He should do, they concluded that He had forsaken the land and would not see their acts of idolatry. People today have many ideas about what they think God ought to be doing. When He does not do those things, they reject God. They then act as they please, believing that God will not see their evil deeds. Yet the vision revealed to Ezekiel makes it clear that God does see. Other passages make this point as well:
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August 27, 2012

Whether They Listen or Not (8/27)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Ezekiel 1-4.

During the Babylonian captivity, Ezekiel was among the captives when God called him to prophesy. But He warned Ezekiel that this would not be an easy task.

“Then He said to me, ‘Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. I am sending you to them who are stubborn and obstinate children, and you shall say to them, “Thus says the Lord God.” As for them, whether they listen or not—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them’” (Ezekiel 2:3-5).

The reason why the people were suffering at this time was because they had been stubborn and rebellious against God. Being taken captive to Babylon did not change their attitude. Yet God sent Ezekiel to them anyway.
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