Hard Assignment | Fuel For The Weekend

Welcome back to another Fuel For the Weekend blog post. I am excited about today! My husband is off work. He is not feeling the best. Javan and I are under the weather, as well, but we are still getting things done and that feels good. What are you doing this weekend?

Today I want to give you something to think about, talk about, and dig deeper in this weekend. It is in the book of Ezekiel. We are going to discuss five verses in the second chapter. But first, I would like to give a brief overview and background of where we studying. Ezekiel is a prophet of God. He is also a priest and he is ministering during the darkest days of the tribe of Judah's history. They are in captivity in Babylon and he will use parables, signs, and symbols, along with prophecies to get God's message across to His people in exile. Ezekiel has a very tough mission because God's chosen people are rebellious and hard-headed. This is why they are in exile; they would not respond appropriately to God nor would they observe His laws and commands. Now, they are in a place they do not want to be, severe oppression and depression overtake them, and it is up to Ezekiel to share God's message with them. What an incredible quest. Has God given you a task that you did not ask for, maybe one you do not want, but you have to do it? Has He called you to help others who seem like they could care less about God or anything He has to say? Ezekiel has been so commissioned.

Today's text is Ezekiel 2:1-5 but I want to start with chapter one verse 28 for a clear picture of why Ezekiel is no longer standing. So if we back up one verse, Ezekiel describes seeing something like a rainbow after the rain. This rainbow and it's brightness was how the likeness of the glory of God appeared to this prophet. When he saw this image he dropped to the ground. He fell on his face and then he heard "a voice of one that spake." Let's pick up our text in Ezekiel 2:1-5 and I promise there will be some hope and encouragement at the end of today's blog post for you!

Ezekiel 2:1 And He said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee.

In this verse, when it says "son of man" it says in the expanded Bible that it means "human being" and it is used 93 times in this book to address the prophet. It is a title that refers to Ezekiel's frailty as a human in comparison to the great Sovereignty of God. God, the Creator, the LORD of all the earth, is speaking to Ezekiel and wants him to stand up so they can have a conversation. He recognizes that Ezekiel is flabbergasted and has hit the floor in overwhelm. He needs Ezekiel's attention, because He has to give him some instructions and He wants Ezekiel to hear everything He is saying.

In the book of Acts, Saul is on the way to Damascus so he can persecute God's people. He thinks he is doing God a favor by consenting to the death of Christians in the early church. But as he goes to Damascus a light surrounded him and it was so bright he fell to the earth. Let's read it. Acts 9:4-6 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?  And he said, Who are Thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks (goads). And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

God will get your attention when He needs you to step into your destiny. He has a specific call on your life and He knows what language to speak to get your attention. You will find yourself humbled and feeling very small in contrast to the vastness of God.

Ezekiel 2:2 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.

In the book of Daniel, we see a similar situation. Daniel 8:17-18 So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision. Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep, on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright.

The supernatural is scary. It is overwhelming to experience God in that way, and yet there is great significance for it. God will help you when you are in that situation. He picked up Ezekiel and Daniel and he helped Saul who later became Paul and wrote a huge portion of the New Testament. Do not be afraid to seek God and experience His Sovereignty and power. You may not have the same experiences as these prophets but when God puts something in your heart that scares you, it's your big purpose and it can be frightening to think about. The good news is you are not alone.

Ezekiel 2:3 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.

Would you be excited about this assignment? If God tells you to witness to people who are too hard-hearted to listen to the voice of God, would you want to go? Would you be excited about talking to them and telling them what God had to say? I know I have had to speak to people who were so prideful and haughty they would hardly listen. They wanted things to be all about them and had no room for the correction of God's Word. Through much prayer and exhortation I was able to share what God wanted them to know. I was in awe as I watched Him chip away at their ego and their carnal nature. It was amazing to see Him work in ways I never knew were possible.

Remember they are not rejecting you if you speak God's Word, they reject Him. It is imperative that we share the Gospel and allow Holy Spirit to do the rest.

1 Samuel 8:7,8 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken Me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

Ezekiel 2:4 For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD.

I love that God does not expect us to come up with our own speech when we go where He sends us. He does not leave everything up to us. He just asks that we be willing vessels to be used by Him to reach the ones who have gone astray. This is pivotal because we are not in the control chair, He is! That is the key to all of this!

Psalm 95:6-11 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God; and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. To day if ye will hear His voice, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted Me, proved Me, and saw My work. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known My ways; Unto whom I sware in My wrath that they should not enter into My rest.

Jeremiah 5:3 O LORD, are not Thine eyes upon the truth? Thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; Thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction; they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.

Jeremiah 6:15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.

If you have time, read Isaiah chapter 58. It is another instance of the stiff-necked, rebellious people that God loves and wants to redeem but they refuse. These are not accounts of the heathen, pagan nations. This is God speaking directly to and about the children of Israel that He rescued and delivered and provided for. He blessed them and helped them and they rejected Him and disobeyed Him over and over and over again.

Ezekiel 2:5 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.

Why would God send Ezekiel to such a people? Why bother with them at all? So they will know that God loves them enough to send a prophet to be His mouthpiece. They can never say He did not try to show them the right way. They will be without excuse. He comes in love and mercy but the choice is theirs. It is up to them whether or not they receive it. They cannot receive the message from God without the messenger so God chose Ezekiel. Did He choose you? Do you have unsaved loved ones and friends who are doing life on their terms? Do you have family or friends who think they are enough, and that by doing good things, or donating to charities they will somehow squeeze into heaven? Friends, it is up to you and me to tell them!

One final thought and it is in Romans, the first chapter. We can read it together:

Romans 1:16-21 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold (suppress) the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Friends, we must take our assignment seriously. God is calling all of us to specific people in our lives. It may be a neighbor, a coworker, a friend, a family member, or even a stranger. Be sensitive to Holy Spirit and allow Him to use you to lead others to Christ. Yes, it may seem hard, because it is hard. It may seem impossible and hopeless, but it isn't. God is with us and we can do all things as He strengthens us according to Philippians 4:13. Remember with God nothing is impossible according to Luke 1:37. God bless you friends!

~Bridgett Owens

Bloody Hands | Fuel For The Weekend

Your actions affect other people. Do you realize that? You may understand that concept, but do you also understand that your inaction affects other people as well? The Bible tells us that what we say and do will go before us into eternity. The same is true for the things we do not say and do not do; they go before us into eternity. We read in Revelation 20:12, "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." 

EZEKIEL 3:17-21 (17)Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at My mouth, and give them warning from Me. (18)When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. (19)Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, not from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. (20)Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. (21)Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.

This is a heavy passage, but we must look at it closely. This is a glimpse into eternity and it shows us that what we do, or don't do, for Christ will have eternal consequences. Let's unpack this a little bit. God is talking to Ezekiel in this passage. This is a message to him about God's plan for his life. He is calling Ezekiel to be a watchman over the people. When the people who do not serve God do evil things, Ezekiel must warn them that they are facing destruction and judgment from God. If that man or woman disregards Ezekiel's words, God says that his hands are clean. If Ezekiel chose not to tell the man or woman, God would require that person's blood at Ezekiel's hands. You see the life is in the blood, according to Leviticus 17:11. So in essence, Ezekiel will have to answer for why he chose to ignore that man's sin and refused to call it out.

In today's world, we are scared to call out sin in others' lives. In fact, we do not like to even discuss sin in most churches. It is offensive. People might not like it and they will stop paying tithes or giving offerings. They may even get so mad they might not come back. So instead of caring about their soul, we are concerned about the congregation numbers and the dollar signs. This is so dangerous. We are not called to be busybodies, like we see in 2 Thessalonians 3:11 and 1 Timothy 5:13. However; we are called to be our brother's keeper in regards to seeing sin in their lives and showing them a better way in Christ Jesus. It is our duty to help one another. We are all God's watchmen. We do not have to be a pastor, evangelist, teacher, or in leadership at all. We are all God's children and He expects His children to love one another and help each other make it Home.

God tells us in today's passage, if we warn those who are in sin, and they do not listen to us, and they continue down the perilous path they are on, we are no longer accountable. In verse 19, God tells Ezekiel that when that person dies in their sins after being warned and not heeding, Ezekiel will have delivered his soul. We read in 1 Timothy 4:16, "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee." This is the harvest that is coming. When we are walking upright before God and we are encouraging others to do the same, we are saving them from destruction and God's judgment in the life to come. If they do not adhere to the warning, then we have washed our hands clean from their blood.

Jesus told them the same thing when He was here on the earth. In John 8:21, 24 Jesus said, "I go My way, and ye shall seek Me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come." And, "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins." That is plain language. If anyone does not believe that Jesus Christ is Messiah, Son of the Living God, then they will die in their sin and they will forever be separated from God. This is why it is so important that we tell everyone. It is not up to us if someone will believe us, or accept Jesus. It is up to us to tell them.

Many people are under the assumption, once saved, always saved. This is a dangerous theology. It says very clearly that when a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin, God will lay a stumbling block before them. He wants us to get tripped up in sin so we can look up to Him and request His love, grace, and mercy. He does not want us to be lost and go to hell. That is not and never has been God's desire for anyone. We know this when we read John 3:16. This verse goes on to say that the righteousness that person once had: the good that he did, the right choices he made, will be forgotten. If no one tells that person to turn back to the cross of Christ and repent, yet they see them in sin and are aware of what they are doing, God will hold them accountable. 

If we see our brothers and sisters in Christ, and they begin dabbling in things they ought not, and they start missing church, and then they stop coming altogether, we must not ignore that. Pick up the phone, go to their home, invite them for coffee or lunch, and share with them in a loving way that they need to make their way back to the Savior. If we do everything we can and we pray and intervene and it falls on deaf ears, and they die in that sinful state, God says we are clean. Nothing will be required at our hands when we face eternity.

Jude says this in verses 21-23, "Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." We must wear the markings of Christ proudly and boldly. We cannot be ashamed of the Gospel. It is the Good News and we must share it with everyone. Romans 1:16 reads, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." It is powerful. We must be glad to share this message. Let's find the Holy boldness we need to share these hard truths with others who have gone astray.

In the book of Ephesians, Paul writes these words in chapter 6 verses 18-20, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perserverance and supplication for all saints: And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." Pray and ask for the utterance to be given you to open your mouth boldly. It goes against the grain to speak boldly about the things of God; meanwhile, the world has their megaphone in our ears spewing lies and deceitful practices all day and night. We must begin to share the Truth of God's Word with believers and unbelievers and watch out for one another so we can help each other make it Home.

Here in Indiana it is a snowy day from the big snow storm that made it's away across this nation. We are unable to get into the vehicles, the roads are icy, and snow covered. We are not getting out today and we didn't get out yesterday. This weekend promises some fun for our children as they sled and play in the winter wonderland. I know that this message is heavy and important. I believe that is why God chose to give it to me for today's Fuel For The Weekend. Pray about this message. Read these scriptures for yourself. Study them and cross-reference them if you want. You will see the same theme in the Old Testament and the New Testament. We must sound the alarm and wake people up. The world is in a daze. They are sleep-walking into hell because no one is shaking them and telling them they are headed for destruction. It is up to the Church to wake up the world. Let's pray and think on these things this weekend. Ask God to give you opportunities to witness and share your faith with unbelievers and backsliders because God loves them and wants them to be saved.

I hope today's post has been helpful. It has given me a new resolve to speak up in love and gentleness to let others know that there is a better way and His name is Jesus. I hope that something I have shared today has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Psalm 4 | Wednesday Bible Study

This week we are in Psalms chapter 4. The eight verses are a prayer of David to God. If you have not taken the time to read today's passage, do that now and then we will continue with today's study. 

Verse one begins with David addressing the God of his righteousness. He is asking God to hear his prayer. He praises God by recalling that it was God who relieved David when he was distressed. He asks God for mercy and again to hear his prayer. Have we been there? Have we ever wanted God to hear us and we even throw in some praises about how God has met our needs before? It is sort of like we are encouraging ourselves, or maybe convincing ourselves that our problem is really not too big for God to solve. Here David is asking for mercy and to be heard. We all just want to be acknowledged, don't we? We just need to know that our concerns matter.

Verse two David addresses his enemies. He wants to know how long they will dishonor him. He wants to know how long they will love vain words and seek after lies. Have you ever been there? Sometimes we are doing the things that are right and pleasing in God's sight and we meet opposition on every side. Someone is always trying to tear us down and wound us. If we have a good reputation, others seek to tarnish it.

Verse three David continues to address his enemies. He tells them God has set apart a people who are holy. David informs them that God in heaven hears when he calls. I think we miss this part a lot. We do not want to offend anyone, or make ourselves a bigger target, so we just "mind our own business" and do not call out the wrong. David clearly has boldness when he tells them that God has set apart a people who follow after Him. David includes himself in that and says that he has a relationship with God. How often do we see others doing wrong and we just remain silent? This verse encourages me to share my faith with others, especially unbelievers. How else will they know?

Verse four David is still talking to his foes. Here he is imploring them to search out their own hearts, to not sin, and then adds Selah at the end of this verse, which means to pause in His presence. He is asking for the unrepentant to take a close look at their actions and intentions; to search their heart and turn from it. Again, how often are we asking others to change their behavior to a way that honors God? It is hard to get into people's personal space like that, but it is so important! There are people who are kind and good and gentle and they are going to hell because they never accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior. There are people who are rude, obnoxious, self-serving and they are going to hell if they do not repent and turn from their wicked ways. We have the answer and it is so important to share the secret of salvation, Jesus Christ!

Verse five David tells them plainly to offer sacrifices of righteousness and put their trust in the Lord. Before Jesus came to the earth, sacrifices had to be made for sin. David is essentially asking them to put faith in a God they cannot see. This was a time of idol worship and David is clearly trying to show them that there is a God in heaven and He is the only One who can help them. Since Jesus died for our sins we can put our faith in Him because we know He died for our sins. We no longer need to kill an animal to sacrifice it to cover our sins. Jesus' blood covers and cleanses us from all filthiness of the flesh and makes us whole. (2 Corinthians 7:1)

Verse six David said there are so many who want to see GOOD in the world, so then He addresses God and asks Him to light up the world with the glory of His countenance. It is a beautiful illustration. Our world is dark and lonely and seeking good but they cannot find it apart from God. David asks God to show the world how good He is. Are we praying this? Our world today is dark and gloomy and dismayed and everyone is searching for life beyond the pandemic, and ease in circumstances. The truth is we don't have to wait for better days. We can experience all the fruits of the Spirit every day that we serve Jesus. We need to be praying, God shine the light of Your face on us again!

Verse seven David is doing a comparison in this verse. He says the people are ecstatic when their harvest yields abundantly and produces wine. There is great joy in seeing the fruition of their hard work and they enjoyed drinking wine. David said that God put so much gladness in in his heart that it was even more joy than they could ever experience over a good harvest. In today's terms, someone may be happy to win the lottery or come into a great sum of money, but God's goodness and joy far surpasses even those feelings. There is nothing like the joy of the Lord that He puts down into the hearts of those who trust in Him.

Verse eight Sometimes we see the hardships, the negativity, and the pain and it keeps us up at night. Sleep is hard to come by. We may toss and turn, worry, complain, and we just don't rest well. David found the solution to insomnia. He has acknowledged God, requested to be heard by Him, and recalls how faithful God is. He faces the problem head on and realizes it is God alone that can solve it, so he asks those who are lost to follow God and repent. He remembers the joy God brings him and now he is content. He is no longer upset or worried. He is at peace knowing God will take care of everything. Now David says he can lay down in peace and sleep because God alone makes him live in safety.

What a wonderful example of how to pray for others. It is a timely illustration of how to witness to those who are unsaved. It is also a beautiful reminder of how we can truly have joy, peace, and rest when we hand over all of our troubles to God. Isn't He so wonderful? If you have not experience the love, peace, and joy of knowing Jesus Christ as your Savior, I hope that today is your day of salvation. Do not put it off. You do not want to miss heaven for the world!

I hope you have been encouraged by today's message. It has been a real pleasure to break the bread with you all today. I hope something I have shared with you has been strength for your journey and light for your way. Have a wonderful Wednesday and may God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens