11/02 Reading - Thoughts & Comments DX3

2-Nov Ezekiel 9-10, John 3-4, Psalms 26-30, Proverbs 2

Ezek 9:1-6 (NIV) 1 ......Then I heard him call out in a loud voice, "Bring the guards of the city here, each with a weapon in his hand." 2 And I saw six men coming from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with a deadly weapon in his hand. With them was a man clothed in linen who had a writing kit at his side. They came in and stood beside the bronze altar. 3 Now the glory of the God of Israel went up from above the cherubim, where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the temple. Then the Lord called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his side 4 and said to him, "Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it." 5 As I listened, he said to the others, "Follow him through the city and kill, without showing pity or compassion. 6 Slaughter old men, young men and maidens, women and children, but do not touch anyone who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary." So they began with the elders who were in front of the temple.

Ezekiel watched the judgment of God go out among those who believed that God was nowhere around, and that He could not see the detestable things that they were doing.  While the man in linen marked the foreheads of those who were lamenting over the sin of the nation, everyone without the mark was being slaughtered by the guards of the city.  It was a horrible sight and Ezekiel fell to his face in lamenting, asking God if he was going to REALLY destroy the entire remnant of Israel?  God basically said, "YES".... and only left those with the mark on their foreheads.

I want to thank God for JESUS who's shed blood on that horrible cross of Calvary has saved us and marked us with that mark!  He is our salvation, our redemption, and our life line to an eternal place in God's Kingdom!  But I fear, lament, and mourn over the world and those who have said no to God's "one and only" gift to fallen man.  The scriptures are clear in the New Testament that God's wrath remains ready to be revealed from Heaven against ALL godlessness and wickedness of men....

Romans 1:18-21 (NIV) 18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.  21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

MEN ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE.  Disrespect and dishonor for God and His sovereignty are not up for dispute among men.  All creation says YES to God and honors Him.  Mankind is the only created being that says NO to God other than fallen angels and demons.

God gives New Testament commands on how to deal with earthly nature (adamic, fallen nature).
Col 3:5-6 (NIV) 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.

The New Testament says to be IMMITATORS OF GOD:
1 Thess 2:14-16 (NIV) 14 For you, brothers, became imitators of God's churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews, 15 who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to all men 16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.

There is a time for all people when they will face the great judgment. Will a person be found as part of His army, or as part of the nations that He rides against? This is not a quick decision that can be made at the last minute when the battle is on.  There will be no jumping to the other side right at the last second.  When God's judgment comes, the foreheads of HIS will already be marked (Ezekiel 9).

Rev 19:11-16 (NIV)11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND Lord OF Lords.

There is only one gift from God, one way to Heaven, and one life to live on the earth - PERIOD.  The gate is narrow as there is only one choice.  All other choices are the OTHER CHOICE.  

Matt 7:13-14 (NIV) 13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

One choice only is the RIGHT CHOICE.  And this choice is not a decision to make Jesus your savior for a future trip to Heaven.  This choice is a death to myself, and a decision to live for Him, in Him, and with Him - to be an imitator of God, as a son of God, and to live IN THE TRUTH every day.  Whether I rise or fall, succeed or fail, my heart must remain true to Him!

We live in perilous times. Persecution of the followers of Christ is coming.  The end of Satan's reign on the earth is close at hand because he has come with great wrath and fury.  He knows his time is short (Rev. 12).  But we must remain true.  We must be MARKED FOR GOD and no matter what the price we must pay, we must live for Christ in good times and in perilous times.  The only way I personally know to do this is to read the Word of God every day, then follow it.  Talk with God and communicate with Him continuously.  Let Him teach and guide you through His Word.  Those who don't read His instruction book CANNOT be led by Him. It's not possible, and they will end up being led into the camp of "THE NATIONS".  But those who ride on white horses with Jesus are trained, prepared, imitators of Him, and they know what to say!  The words coming out of their mouths are the same words as His.  And his mouth issues forth a sharp sword which will strike down the nations!

How do you strike down the nations with the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, the WORD OF GOD?  You speak it, live it, and identify with it.  You stand with it and lay your life down for it.  You show the devil and all creation that the Word of God is more important to you than the next devilish hand out, the next temptation into their sin, or the next way to defame and dishonor God.  A life of this manner will be a life that shines brightly for the Kingdom of God, and that life will ride with Jesus into the end!

COMPASS GUIDE has a one year bible reading program that you simply MUST enter into if you have not yet.  This program will put you on the way to great kingdom success, and it will cause you to communicate with God, to interact with Him, and to train under His Holy Spirit.  To train for what?  THE FINAL RIDE!

Tomorrow's Reading:
3-Nov Ezekiel 11-12, John 5-6, Psalms 31-35, Proverbs 3