June 2020

27/06/2020

Ezekiel 18 v 4 - 9; 20 - 25; 30 - 32
Repent and live

How is this message and God’s dealings with Israel applicable on us today? Surely we have been saved by grace, cleansed of all our sins, once for all through Christ’s death on the cross?

This is true, if there is a renewal of our mind and heart, our soul longs for the Lord and as a result we “practice justice and righteousness.”, i.e. living according to Christ’s principles. Not to win God’s favour – purely because He saved us from our sinful nature.

Christ’s death gave us life and we wouldn’t understand that we are dead in our transgressions, until we come to faith in Him and as a result have our spirit revived and soul renewed. What about those who seem to practice justice and righteousness, yet do not stand in a relationship with the Lord Jesus? We should make Him known to them. Pray the Lord will guide you in this regard, so that you sow a seed in season.

We cannot continue to live in sin and blame someone else, or our circumstances. We need to take ownership of our shortcomings, mistakes and sins. God has no pleasure in the “death of the wicked” and delights in everyone turning to Him and would leave the “99 for the ONE” who calls on Him and is willing to turn from their “wicked ways“.

The Lord also cannot be blamed for our wrongful dealings. He is God and sets the moral standard according to which we should live, but if anyone who has known the Lord, turns away from Him and commits abominable acts, he runs the risk of not being able to return to the ways of the Lord (Heb 6). I believe in the grace of God, yet we should not test Him, thinking we can get away with sin.

Please take the time to evaluate your life today. Do you consider yourself a follower of Jesus, yet your mind is set on the pleasures of this world? Are your dealings with people of a questionable nature and feel convicted? Turn to the Lord. Turn away from that which is keeping you in bondage and continually causes you to fall.

If you are seeking or worshiping an “unknown God“, I pray that the power of the Holy Spirit will regenerate you and fill the void only God can fill for He is the only, one true God, who gives life, everlasting.

“Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation”