FLEE FROM YOUR IDOLS TO JESUS! For their hearts were devoted to their idols. —Ezekiel 20:16 I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes. —Psalm 36:1 Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.  Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep.  You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.  How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!… For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. —Psalm 36:5-7, 9             Now… which camp are you in?  Are you in the camp where…

TURN FROM YOUR WAY TO THE WAY OF JESUS! Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen. —Ezekiel 16:49-50 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live? —Ezekiel 18:23             Though this is speaking specifically of Jerusalem, the passage seems to be paralleling the characteristics of Sodom and aligning them also with this city.  What…

LORD, YOUR WORD IS WHAT I WANT TO HEAR AND DO! Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: ‘Hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! —Ezekiel 13:2-3 Now, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own imagination. —Ezekiel 13:17             Let’s take our refuge in our Lord God Almighty and not in those who speak from “their own imagination.”  Be sure to listen to the Word of God and not the word of man.  Thank You, my Lord God Almighty, that You have…

CREATION CONFIRMS THE CREATOR— YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE! By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.  He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses.  Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him.  For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. —Psalm 33:6-9 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.  Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.  They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is…

I AM FORGIVEN AND MADE RIGHTEOUS Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.  Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. —Psalm 32:1-2             You should read all of Romans chapter 4 along with this verse.  It is utterly astounding what our Lord has done for us. “Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of…

BRING THE MESSAGE— WHETHER PEOPLE LISTEN OR NOT! He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day. The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’ And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them. And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you…

JESUS— OUR KING AND JUDGE You, Lord, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation. —Lamentations 5:19             Rulers come and rulers go.  They reign for a short time and then they are no more.  Oh, how temporary are the prestigious positions of power.  Those who have been in offices of leadership may be remembered more than those who are not, but their end is the same in this life as anyone else.  Yes, “death is the great equalizer” as someone has said.  Not only that, but regardless of the station in life, all will stand before Judge Jesus and “Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”…

OUR LORD’S GREAT LOVE AND COMPASSION Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” —Lamentations 3:22-24 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come? —Lamentations 3:38 The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace. —Psalm 29:11             Our Lord— Has great love for us Does not consume us because of His great love for us Has compassions that never fails Has new compassions every morning Has great faithfulness Is our portion…

HAVE THE RIGHT FOCUS The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.  My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. —Psalm 28:7             Whose strength would you rather depend on— your strength or our Lord’s strength?  The answer should be obvious— we should depend on our Lord’s strength and not our own.  What strength do we really have?  Very little!  And whose protection would we rather trust in— our own or His?  Again, the answer should be obvious that we would rather have Him protect us.  And who do I trust in— myself or Him?  Let us trust in…

SEEK HIM… BE STRONG IN HIM… TAKE HEART IN HIM… WAIT FOR HIM! My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”  Your face, Lord, I will seek. —Psalm 27:8 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. —Psalm 27:14             Is this what your heart says?  Is this your desire— to seek His face?  Are you waiting for Him?  As you wait for Him, are you being strong and taking heart?  We are told in II Timothy 2:1— “You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”  We truly have no strength of our own.  It is by the grace of our…