It’s A Gift – The Saturday Morning Post
Today’s Passage – Ezekiel 1 – 4 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – 1 Corinthians 13 – 16; Psalms 146 – 150; Proverbs 31)
Read the “0831 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me. And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day. For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD. And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them. And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious. But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee. And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein; And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe. Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll. And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.” (Ezekiel 2:1-3:3)
Good morning. I guess. I don’t really know what time you are reading this. Have you had your breakfast yet? Was it in your mouth as honey for sweetness? Have you read God’s Word today? That’s what is sweet, as God uses His Word to transform us into the likeness of His Son. And just as Ezekiel had to bring the Word of God to rebellious Israel, we must bring it to others: rebuild others who have fallen down in their journey. The apostle Paul said…
“Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.” (1Corinthians 14:12)
God has given us all spiritual gifts as the Holy Spirit deems fit. One thing that I took with me to Texas Baptist College was the understanding that someone was watching me. Would I cause them to quit because I quit? Would our pastor have still gone there if I dropped out in my first year? Would I cause someone to stumble because I stumbled. For the sake of others I had to keep going, and still do. If I quit, what will happen to others? The same principle of caring about others extends throughout the Bible. We are to build people up, edify them, edify the church.
If I gossip, or say something bad about someone, will the person I’m talking to think it’s okay to gossip? By the way, if someone tells you something bad about another, what are they saying about you when you’re not around? If I don’t tithe, will others risk the devourer from Malachi 3:11 by not tithing also?
“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.” (Malachi 3:8-11)
What affect will my sin have on others? If I then tell others not to do it either, I become a hypocrite. Lets start going in the direction we should be going; let’s start edifying those around us. Let’s start being the kind of Christian that God wants us to be. Amen?
Peace.
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