The Way to Worship

Eze 46:9 But when the people of the land shall come before the LORD in the solemn feasts, he that entereth in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that entereth by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in, but shall go forth over against it.

Worship is all about God, but a little about us also. When we experience God-centered worship, we do come away spiritually refreshed, renewed and revived. Worship is a wonderfully fulfilling experience. Thank God that He has prescribed this beautiful expression for His glory and our edification.

I see in this verse a couple of important things about worship.

1) That we are all admonished to participate in worship. Ours is not to be a worship-optional relationship with the Lord. Individual and corporate worship is a requirement. The Lord did not say "if the people shall come before the Lord" but "when the people of the land come before the Lord. It is expected that God's people will worship as a natural outflow of their love, obedience and adoration of our Maker and Sustainer.

2) That worship is to be an altering altar experience for us each and every time. The verse tells us that if we enter into worship one way, we are to leave another way. The thing is, when we come into the presence of the Holy, there is no way we can come away the same. I think of Isaiah's encounter in the 6th chapter of his prophecy. It was life changing. I am reminded of Moses at the burning bush which changed him from the most humble man on the planet to a leader of millions. Even the wise men presented their gifts to the Christ child and returned "another way." How can we come into the presence of the Almighty, worship at His feet and come away unfazed?

Again, thank God for the enrichment of worship, the opportunity to adore Him and a chance to go out another way.

The Glory of the Lord

Eze 43:2 And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory. 3 And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face.

In my dailies, I had just read three very tedious chapters about Ezekiel's vision of a new temple in Jerusalem a full 50 years before the end of the captivity. I have to confess, reading chapters 40, 41 and 42 were like swimming in peanut butter. Honestly, I was longing for the excitement of I Chronicles were 5 sons did Milcah bare. :<)

But in chapter 43, the glory of the Lord sweeps in and fills the place, and the prophet, and the chapter, and me!

It got me to thinking, no matter how ornate or costly the building, without the presence of the Lord, it is just brick and mortar.

How many churches dot our landscape where "same ol', same ol'" is the service du jour? Song, song, prayer, song moves into a homily as the tune to "Beautiful Dreamer" occupies the heads of not a few of the congregants.

What the churches need is precious reviving showers of the blessing of the presence of God in demonstration of power!

Oh, God of heaven, sweep into our services. May every meeting evidence your powerful presence. May the prophet behind the pulpit give forth a revelation from thee. Amen!

Great Balls of Fire

Eze 38:2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: 5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee. 7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them. 8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
See also vss 14-23, 39:1-13

There is a time coming in the latter days, before or after the rapture, we are not sure, when a league of anti-Semitic nations will attack Israel and will be slain upon the northern mountains by God Himself. He will employ fiery hailstones to incapacitate this anti-Israeli horde. So great will be the slaughter that Israel will spend vast amounts of time just burying the enemy dead.

Why the attack? I believe the nations which will unite against Palestine; Russia, some of the former Soviet Bloc nations, some EU countries, Turkey, Iran, Ethiopia and Libya will do so for several reasons.

Israel has been provoked mercilessly by the Muslim kingdom. It is only when they act, in self defense, that the world sees them as the aggressor. Europe, and even our own president find no fault with the Islamic aggressors, but are quick to blame the tiny nation of Israel every time.

Perhaps a preemptive attack against Iran's nuclear efforts, or the building of settlements in Arab occupied Israel, or incursions into Syria or Lebanon, or even Jordan, to extinguish missile sites or anti-Israeli terrorists will be the event or combination thereof which will set off the invasion of Israel by her aggressors.

According to the Word, it will happen, touching off cataclysmic events across the globe. In our present political climate, I am not so sure our nation will line up on God's side of these events. Our president has warned that if it comes to it, he will side with the Muslims. In context, his quote had to do with internment of Muslims should the winds take an ugly direction. However, this gives us some insight into his prevailing views and the soft spot he has for his original faith. (page 261, Audacity of Hope")

IF we end up on the wrong side of such a scenario, we are toast, according to the Abrahamic Covenant.

The question is, are you spiritually prepared for the last days?
1) Trust in Christ today. He is our Ark of safety from world turmoil.
2) Win others to Jesus, while there is opportunity. The cometh when no man can work.
3) Support Israel! We are promised that God would bless him that blesses Israel and will curse him that curses Israel.
4) Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
5) Get ready for the trumpet. We that hope for the coming of the Lord are told to prepare ourselves by purifying our lives. Get right and stay right with God. Live for Him, learn of Him, long for Him.


Friend, Jesus is coming soon. Even so, come Lord Jesus!

Lead, Feed and Take Heed to the Flock of God

Eze 34:8 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;

The Lord was against the shepherds, the pastors of Israel because of the selfish neglect of the flock, His people. As they wandered from the fold to the dangerous places, the shepherds busied themselves with self-serving pursuits. This didn't mean that they were beyond killing a fat, neglected sheep when it served their purpose.

I think a valid paralell can be be drawn with church pastors who spend more time playing than praying. They do more preying on the sheep than praying for the sheep. Personal comfort trumps comforting the afflicted.

It is this self-serving attitude of pastors which will draw the angst of the Almighty if not repented of.

The calling of a shepherd is a calling "from" as well as a calling "to."

No doubt, the calling of God is a call to minister to others. But it also means a sacrifice of personal ambition, aggrandizement, agenda and amassing of worldly goods.

I am not saying that a preacher is not to enjoy life to its fullest, but he must keep ministry first and foremost. The man of God has a trust from God to lead, feed and pay close heed to the flock.

We are assured that there is a wonderful crown awaiting a faithful pastor at the judgment seat of Christ.

1Pe 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Sound the Trumpet

Eze 33:7 So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.

It is time that we stop believing that everything is unchanged and will continue as it always has.

It is obvious that our nation has been weighed in the balances and has been found wanting. The sword has come against us and our doom is assured unless the watchmen begin to sound the warning and those wise enough to respond take appropriate action.

You wouldn't know that God is displeased with this nation's iniquity by watching the smiling TV preacher out of Texas proclaiming God's love for anybody and anything.

You wouldn't have any idea that doom is imminent by hearing the shiesters peddle their Jordan RIver Holy Water, Holy Soap and Faith Prayer Cloths which will make the one who sends a substantial seed offering to their ministry healthy, wealthy and blessed.

If you view the blab it, grab it preachers with their assurances of manifold blessings, you wouldn't suspect that our nation needs a revival or she is going down.

You read it hear, my friend. This watchman is sounding the trumpet. The sword is coming, take warning. Repent of your wickedness and humble yourself before your God.

Ezekiel - A Living Object Lesson

Eze 24:15 Also the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 16 Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down. 17 Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men. 18 So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.

So many times in the book named after him, Ezekiel, addressed by God as "son of man"
is ordered to provide a harsh object lesson to Israel and her neighbors. Other than Job, maybe Paul, Joseph and Jesus, I can’t think of anyone in the Bible more put upon, more called to suffer than Ezekiel.

An object lesson is a visual that a presenter employs to make a point that the people will forever remember. Ezekiel was a living object lesson.

Among the visuals he was to provide: Ezekiel was to lie on one side for months, and
then turn to lie on the other side for a lengthy period. In another instance, he was
ordered to bake a cake with excrement as one of the ingredients and eat it in front of the people. Here, in chapter 24, he is told that his sweetheart would die that day, but he was not to even shed a tear.

To me, that is some tough stuff. God has brought all of us, His children through some valleys, probably none as tough as what Ezekiel was called to travel.

God was using these bizarre deprivations and testings in the life of His servant to teach others a lesson.

Could it be, and I am sure it is, that every setback, every unusual circumstance we are called upon to bear, is an object lesson to others that they may learn the will of the Lord?

Friend, God does not waste pain. Your valleys are an opportunity to be used of God to help someone else.

Rather than trying shake off your troubles, embrace them for the possibilities they present to be a blessing to another.

America, Wake up!

Lam 4:5 They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills. 6 For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her.

The fall of America is imminent. In less than two short years, the current
Administration has done what previous administrations have only been able to
chip away at with limited success.

They (Dems AND Repubs) have robbed the coffers of the people and ravaged the societal fabric beyond belief. And the people have been helpless to defend themselves against the massive financial disasters, bailout, stimulus give-aways, health-care fiasco, the attrition of morality, the heavy "lefting" of the Supreme Court, the erosion of our nation's respect in the eyes of the nations and the capitulation to Islam on every hand.

We are in serious trouble, and I am not so sure the Lord hasn't allowed it so that His purpose for this once great nation might be accomplished.

The apostle speaks directly to us when he says in Romans 11:21, For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

The Lamentation verses previously read apply to Israel, God's chosen. How much sorer punishment and devastation can our nation expect for our apathy concerning the things of the Lord?

Get right America, humble yourself, pray, seek the Creator's face, turn from your wicked ways so that He might hear from heaven, forgive our sins and heal our land.

The time is short.