Be Encouraged Today!

Reflections on Ezekiel — Jesus and Him Crucified Reflections on Ezekiel On faith, judgment, and the centrality of Jesus Christ crucified I’m sitting here, studying the book of Ezekiel. I see a parallel, a mirror of Judah and Jerusalem of old, and how America—and rather, the church—is looking like Judah and Jerusalem of old. And it breaks my heart, because they were God’s people, and we are God’s people. We have been grafted into the vine, and we didn’t learn this lesson that was taught and given to us in the book of Ezekiel. When we rebel, when we go against God’s way, when we set up idols in our heart, we must remember this isn’t God’s way, and we must do things God’s way. We cannot do things our own way. We think that we are on the path that leads to the Father, Jesus and Him Crucified, but we aren't looking to Him and what was accomplished at the Cross of Calvary for us. We cannot look like the world. Yet the church...

Idols of the Heart Idols of the Heart In Ezekiel 14 , the elders of Israel came to Ezekiel asking for prayer, but they had set up idols in their hearts. An idol of the heart can be anything we put before God—anything that takes precedence over, or replaces, our loyalty and devotion to Him. In our minds, we often think God is first—but is He really? Sometimes we have idols set up in our hearts without even realizing it. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal if you have any idols in your heart as you examine yourself. Sidebar: A Personal Example I love to work out. Years ago, I heard the Holy Spirit say, “It’s easy for you to miss praying or reading the Word of God—you say you’ll do it later, and sometimes later never comes—but you don’t miss your workouts.” Ouch—hallelujah! It hurt my feelings a little, but it was true. So, I started getting up early to study, read, and go on my prayer walks. My workouts had become an idol of the hea...