Horror

Jeremiah 24:8 “But thus says the Lord: Like the bad figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten, so will I treat Zedekiah the king of Judah, his officials, the remnant of Jerusalem who remain in this land, and those who dwell in the land of Egypt. 9 I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a reproach, a byword, a a taunt, and a curse in all the places where I shall drive them.

Last Thursday the men of our small group made our regular visit to a local men's shelter. The faces of the men there tell many different stories. Some tell of hope, but most of them tell the grim painful story of a life spent worshipping at the altar of alcohol or drugs. Last week, there was one young guy in his twenties whose face I can still see vividly. Many missing teeth, thin hair, baggy skin on an emaciated frame announce his addiction to Meth before he even had to speak. The effects of Meth have robbed Him of any sign of health, joy or happiness. His countenance was literally that of a beaten down, cursed man.

In the last post, we learned about God's intentions with us as we rightly worship Him. He wants us to "be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory (Jeremiah 13:11). Jeremiah 13:11 ends with "but they would not listen". Jeremiah 24 above spells out with detail what occurs when false worship of counterfeit gods occur.
Idolotry turns men who were designed to be a people, a name, a praise and a glory into a reproach, a byword, a taunt and a curse. Notice with careful detail the exact opposite four word comparisons.

>People (of God) vs. Reproach (rebels against Him)
>A Name (of God) vs. byword (meaningless word that is lacking relevance)
>A Praise (for God) vs. A Taunt (Against God and everyone else)
>A Glory (reflecting God's Holiness) vs. A Curse (reflecting the curse of sin)

Long story short, there is no middle ground of worship. We are either engaged with Christ, as we cling to Him and He is shaping us dramatically as His Holiness is infused in us, or our false worship is eating away at our souls, our health and our bodies. We either are lovingly engaged in the truths of God or we are rebelling against Him.

I think one of the most deadliest places to be in as an American today is falling blindly to a false worship that includes a little church attendance that empowers a lifestyle of sin devoid of true worship. I walked this miserable road for years and looking back, it is easy to see how the false gods of alcohol, gambling and tobacco demanded my allegiance, consumed my thoughts and in turn me. Jesus is the only one capable of bringing down the false gods that men serve. He will not receive sloppy seconds from you.

If you want to take a quick test of what idols may be in your life, ask yourself what are the things you will "slit throats" over. For some it is an addiction, for others it may be politics, football or even theological knowledge. You can be rest assured that you have a major problem if when people threaten yoru idol, you threaten them yet when they use the Lord's name in vain it does not burn your ears and soul. Why? Your disposition reflects that you will defend what man has made, but will do nothing to defend the Glory and Holiness of the one true God.

Clinging to God

Jeremiah 13:11 For as the loincloth clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the Lord, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, but they would not listen.

Leaving my house in the mornings is my least favorite part of the day. Luke (age 22 months) and Eli (3.5) are determined for me to stay. Cries of "stay daddy" are accompanied with some hand and leg locks around my legs in both an emotional and physical attempt at preventing my departure. They literally cling to me, and it is heartbreaking to have to leave them. I feel like a dog as I shut the door and jump in the Tahoe.

God has shown me in many verses like Jeremiah 13:11 above, that the picture of my boys clinging to me desperately should be walked out in my dependence, praise and worship of Jesus. Man, I have made that way too complicated at times as I love theology and bible exposition. The clarity and simplicity stated by God is startling in this passage.

Positionally we need to cling to him in love as he is our provider, strength and grandest Treasure. Do You do that? Do you even think you need Him that desperately to cling to Him?

Look at what God defines as His purpose for the redeemed body of faith: that they may be a people, a name, a praise and a glory.

In a nutshell, God says that our purpose is to be clear markers of grace that point to the one true God. We exist to bring glory to His name and praise Him. As our lives are changed by His work in us, people see "Christians as Christ"-the name given to us is then synonomous with the God we love and serve. We are His physical body producing faith led works of a divine inspiration.

So lets break it down. When people interact with you, do they know you are His?

Do you reflect the worthiness of Christ as you bear the name Christian?

How much praise is in your day for Him?

Are you bent on bringing glory to God each day?

We are designed to be his people, bear His name, be a praise and to glorify him. This will only happen if we cling to Him as Luke and Eli cling to me as I leave. The fun part is discovering God's unique relationship he wants to have with you. Go to Him, cling to Him and let Him have His way. Unlike me, he will not have to close the door and leave, for He desires our hearts commune with Him in worship.

Slick Willy

Jeremiah 3:10 Yet for all of this her treacherous sister Judah did not return to me with her whole heart, but in pretense, declares the Lord.

Monica Lewinsky and the blue dress exposed ex-president Bill Clinton's scandalous affair with the young intern. It was interesting to me the different reactions to the most powerful man in the world's display of a severe lack of judgment and discipline. His supporters tried to make it seem like the affair was no big deal and of course the conservatives made the best of trying to bury the man. The one thing that was hard to miss to me was that Bill spent far more time trying to weasel out of the situation, than he spent in true life changing repentance and flat out admittance of guilt. He seemed more concerned about being caught than the damage His actions did to God, Monica, the U.S., and the integrity level of the office presidency.When we sin it hurts God first, everyone who is directly involved secondly and everyone who is under our headship as we invite wickedness in to our soul that clouds our judgment and actions. I am not his judge and I will make mistakes in my life as well, but it is clear to the world when someone is truly damaged at the core by what their actions do to others. It is also clear when someone with pretense will say what they need to say to just get through the situation so they can get back to their old lifestyle. SInce that time their have been multiple scandals from both Republicans and Democrats with similar issues so let's be clear this is a sin issue in the Heart of man and not a political issue.

Jeremiah 3:10 is a clear look at true repentance. Returning to God with your whole heart and not in pretense is the bottom line. What does it mean to return with your whole heart? I think it means acknowledging the fact that you alone are totally accountable for hurting the heart of God, yourself and others and that your soul has an intense deep remorse for the damage and evil that you produced. It also means that you totally submit to the only power that can forgive and permanently restore the damage, God and his son Jesus Christ. Lastly your desire is no longer to return to that sin but to praise the God that delivered you from the very sin that was going to destroy you and your family.

So what does your repentance look like in your life? Do you have a casual relationship with sin that you think is no big deal? When your sin becomes exposed what is your reaction?

When you pray, do you pray for God to change you and turn you away from sin, or do you pray that others will simply forget your sin?

Rivals

John 16:8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment

November 15, 1997. We were in Athens, Ga. celebrating a huge upset win by our Tigers in the South's oldest rivalry game, Auburn vs. Georgia. We found ourselves hungry and standing in a Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakery, waiting for our food to be ready when it happened. A combination of loose tongues, pride and adult beverages fueled the entire absolutely stupid scene that hit its climax as the eight of us found ourselves in a position where about 70 Georgia fans furiously wanted to expel us from their midst. I am still unsure exactly how it got started, and it does not really matter, but it is safe to say that it is a minor miracle that their was not a large brawl that night. The battle lines were clear: happy gloaters pridefully wearing orange and blue and disgustingly infuriated folks wearing red and black. Tensions and emotions were high on both sides. At that moment, there was no neutral ground, and no way for us all to peacefully exist in the same restaurant. Rivals in the heat of the battle can not intermingle, so we got our pizza and left ......

In the above passage, John is detailing the Holy Spirit's role in the life of a believer. His Holiness convicts of Sin, Righteousness and Judgement. Simply put, He highlights and instructs us about the horror of sin,the Exclusive righteousness of Christ and the war between the two and He makes sure we all see that judgement is real. Sin and Holiness are more than just football rivals, they are cosmic forces that are diametrically opposed to one another. Holiness is a term used to describe the uniqueness of God. Sin in a broad sense means all things against opposed to God.

If we are unable to see that Jesus came to make war against sin and that the Holy spirit rallies us against it as well, we have missed a basic point. God and sin can not commune with one another. Like a Klu Klux Klan member showing up at a black panther rally in downtown Detroit - there will be an extremely large clash when the two forces encounter one another.

I am at a loss when I hear of churches having leaders that are openly living in a lifestyle of sin. Instead of these leaders allowing God to deal with their sin they start to rewrite what is sin. They want to make something that is anti-God, pro-God. No wonder the church confuses people. We all have sin, but if there is no conviction of continuous sin and that is the role of the spirit, we should question if the spirit is in us. If the Holy spirit is not in us - we are not saved. I don't see any where in the bible where the Holy bride of Christ is accepting of continuous sin that flies in the face of God. I definitely do not see any place where people get away with telling God what are the new "acceptable actions" that He just needs to get over and understand. We have lost our fear of a Holy God.

If you are indwelt with the Holy Spirit, sin will be a rival that you will wage war against, not make excuses for. No matter the sin, the Holiness of God has nailed it to the cross victoriously. He did not come so that we could be comfortable in our sin, but that we would be thankful from being delivered from it.

Massive Distractions

Matthew 13:15 For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed,lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’

Have you stopped and looked around to see how distracted everyone is today? It makes my brain hurt to think through the intense demands on schedules and up to the second information sharing of every kind. While being informed about the world around us in broad strokes can be fruitful, having our senses consumed by the continuous broadcast of worldly thought, entertainment and news is quite deadly.

Christ, in the above verses, is speaking about people and the Gospel. The words He used in 30 A.D. above are still amazingly accurate today, even with all of our enlightened learning and gadgetry. Maybe even especially because of our enlightened learning and gadgetry. Jesus says that there Hearts are dull, their ears are ineffective and their eyes are almost shut to God, because they are quite satisfied without Him as they are enjoying all of their stuff. They all sense in a dull way that they are sinful and need some religious action to justify themselves, but are comfortable as long as they get to stay in control and right the rules. In their erroneous life, they do not sense the need of a savior as "Life is Good". That should start to sound familiar.

Jesus Clearly states how the Gospel germinates in one's soul:

1) See with your eyes
2) Hear with your ears
3) Understand with your Heart
4) Turn from sin and Follow Christ
5) Then Christ Heals

These first three are easy to interpret. We see, we hear and then we understand. The challenge to all of us is this: How much of what we see and hear is from God, if anything? If we do not seek "The Shepherd who leaves the 99 for the 1", we will not see or hear, and we will not understand the things of God. Why? Our senses are over run with things of this world and the Spirit's outpouring is beyond our faculties. It is only when God humbles us in the core of our gut to the point when we know we are in desperate need of Him, and we die to ourself, that we can see and hear the things of the Kingdom. It is then, when we are in the spot of a drowning swimmer yelling out to the lifeguard for help, that we are able to truly hear and see the things of the Kingdom. Once we know we need, we can hear, see and understand the things of the Kingdom of God.

That leads us to the fork in the road. Which way we will choose. If we truly understand our position as sinners hanging by a thread in need of God in a mighty way, that does not mean we are in. We must turn from sin, and follow Christ. This repentance is a life attitude of "God you are right, I am wrong , and I am going to let your cross crucify those things that I want to do". While this salvation power does not immediately make you eternally sinless, it definitely makes sin taste like an ashtray and the things of God taste as sweet as Honey as the Holy Spirit convicts and guides us. It is at the point of true salvation where God shows us how we had it all upside down and backwards. The things our sin nature craved were not really fun, they were destructive....kind of like Eve taking a bite of death thinking she was going to get more life.

So how much of the bible do you see clearly?
How much of the Good News about Christ, the way He explains Himself do you really know?
Do you understand, "I desire Mercy and not sacrifice'?
Have you turned your sin over to God's wrath on Christ?
Finally, Have you been healed by Him and you can testify to His power to defeat sin?

This is what Jesus came to do right? Make war on sin and heal and regenerate. He did not come to just inform people but to overthrow evil and make that possible for us.

There are a lot of people this day and age doing the first three, yet refusing to repent and turn form their sin and so they remain unreleased from their sin. They believe that God will accept them being an "informed, yet content raging drug addict" or a"Knowing its wrong in the bible, yet ultra content homosexual". These people have little regard for what God states about salvation throughout the bible and have invented a synthetic gospel which has some elements of truth to it, but fails to apply the Power of God to their sinful lives. The Gospel is a bout regeneration and restoration from sin to God's truth and life, not a bunch of theories and a church routine to clean your conscious. Most importantly they miss the fact that a good God wants to unshackle them from the bonds of the sin that enslaves them. A person outside the kingdom doesn't see it that way. They don't see removal of sin as a blessing. When repentance comes up they see someone messing with the thing that identifies them as unique or special, makes them an independent thinker and is their flaming desire. What they see is Jesus trying to topple their God - and they will have none of it.

"The idea that God will let a rebel into heaven that has not quit his rebellion is not only unbiblical, it lacks common sense" A.W. Tozer

If I am not mistaken I think the Devil already tried that - didn't he?

A belief that marvels Christ

Matthew 8:5 When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, 6 “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” 7 And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but l only say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with n no one in Israel have I found such faith. 11 I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12 while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.

What does it mean to believe in Jesus? I am definitely not the scholastic authority on this, but this passage makes a couple of huge points about Faith that pleases and marvels Christ. It is critical to note that this passage occurs immediately after the sermon on the mount. In this sermon Jesus lovingly says, you can not please God in your actions so enter the kingdom through the narrow gate and build your house on the rock -ME!

With the fact that only Christ's life is pleasing to our father acting as our lens to look through, we can then easily appropriate the huge truths about True Faith and Belief. The first thing we see in the centurion is that he addresses Christ and says "Lord I am not worthy to have you under my roof". The centurion has an appropriate view of both himself and Christ. he is unworthy but Christ is the ultimate worth. The centurion's belief started with a correct understanding of his Holy inadequacy and Christ's over flowing Holiness. In verse 9 we find a second key point about this faith that pleases Christ. The man understands the authority, power and capabilities of Christ. He understands that Christ has complete dominion as He says- you just have to say a word Jesus. You don't have to go to my house physically. You don't have to go do some ceremony Jesus- just speak a word and your complete dominance over all will show itself.

Jesus marvels at the centurion. Stop and think about that - this same Jesus just preached a sermon about the near impossibility of truly pleasing God. This sermon on the narrow gate and the wideness of human depravity that will not squeeze through it, and he goes to Capernaum and a gentile centurion has appropriated a faith that demands Christ as the centerpiece. Jesus is pleased by this man's belief......it is the belief that is mentioned in John 3:16.

We must remember that even the devil knows of Christ's Holy authority. The acknowledgement of Holy Authority must be intertwined with a total submission to Him, based on a complete understanding of our inability to be Holy outside of Him. It is only when we allow the Christ's Cross to crucify our flesh and impart the spirit that Christ's fruitful life walks in our shoes.

This type of faith avoided me for much of my life. My belief was that God was Good and I needed to try to be as much like Him as I could. I was trying to do what only Jesus could do -live a life pleasing to God. I was miserably failing and my faith was in me and my attempts, not in Christ Alone. I had no true belief that just as the sky is blue, I was incapable of pleasing God. Like the centurion, I now understand that no matter how much I tried to be good apart from Christ, I had nothing good to give and the only way for Him to work in my life was to fall at His feet permanently not as an emotional, semi-frequent, half hearted religious routine. As my worship of Christ has intensified, His way is made known through my life...I pray that I please Him.

The End Game

Ezekiel 44:28 This shall be their inheritance: I am their inheritance: and you shall give them no possession in Israel; I am their possession.

My biggest challenge in my pursuit of Christ is confusing the means with the ends. What do I mean by that? Well its simple. It seems that sin constantly attacks me in an attempt to confuse the fact that God is the end Goal of my life and faith. Sin casually misleads us to think that God is the means by which we accomplish something. This happens not because of theological inerrancy,as I am more convinced that He alone is the one true God. I know He is the end game, but every so often I find myself somehow trying pitifully to play His role.

This confusion is everywhere. Think I am wrong? Go to the local Christian bookstore and look how our own religious materials demonstrates how God can make you a better father, business person, woman, minister, child, missionary or whatever. God does not want me to be a better Business person, He desires my Worship of Him in his perfectness. If me being a better business person is a byproduct (and it will be) then so be it, but it is NOT his goal. There is no need for a better business person in the Kingdom, the need in the world is for more light and salt of Christ.

There is an incredibly large difference in praising Christ who is the Yes and Amen for what he did perfectly, and walking with him in victory as opposed to me scripting my own playbook and asking him to bless my "best efforts", even if they are in ministry.

Which are you doing?

Is he your desire? Your satisfaction? Or are you confused and you think He exists to get you what you really want? (that would indicate that there is something greater than He in your sights)

Doesn't it make better sense that we are a means to His end? Doesn't this bring our salvation into a better perspective, as its purpose is to reflect the Glory of God to the nations?

What do you want me to do God?

Ezekiel 7:26 Disaster comes upon disaster; rumors follow rumors. They seek a vision from the prophet, while the law perishes from the priest and counsel from the elders.

What do you want me to do God? A frequent question asked in our day. Most of the time it is asked with more interest in how we can help God than how much we need him. We have a tendency in America to see ourselves as the solution. We think if we can just get God to show us where to go, we can take the promised land to that place or people. The biggest challenge is that for the most part our faith and obedience is so puny and there fore our communion so estranged, we never hear God clearly so the result is to just sit around in our circles and talk about things theoretically.

Almost the entire book of Ezekiel is one of impending doom. Graphic judgement on Israel and Judah and every other country around for that matter. In the verse above, Ezekiel is speaking to the entire house of Israel. They have completely turned their back on God. they have played the "lustful whore" with the nations. There desires are not on God -they are on money, sex and lavishness. They have taken the resources that are God's -given to his prized people and used it to engage in worldly satisfaction. They have completely found their satisfaction in the things of this world. LOOK OUT - they are still about going to "church" so to speak as they came to the temple worship, and they were doing the things that they "HAD TO DO FOR GOD". They just did not have a relationship with Him and they found now satisfaction in Him. God looks at that as profane worship. When we bring the things we lust for in our hearts with us to "go through the religious motions" of corporate gathering it pretty much infuriates God.

So the Israelites are looking forward to visions from prophets. They are looking for God to help them, heal them and direct the path to do so. They are looking for this prophecy while the laws of God have perished from the land and the elders no longer give Godly council. They are looking for more Godly stuff to think about while completely ignoring the revelation of God through His law, Prophets and Leadership that was already crystal clear. God's answer is a deafening - " I am going to judge them and then they will know that I am Lord" (v.27). It is clear that God has an intense fury against this behavior.

The only thing that can stand in the way of this fury for any of us, is the intense worship of Christ in our place. We need to be bold, loud and obnoxious in our praise of Christ and we need to be very careful about asking God for more "special revelation" while ignoring what he has already stated. Why? In an indirect way, we are trying to play God when this occurs. How? Our actions are saying " We don't really like the aspects of God that have been revealed so we want a different glimpse". In essence we are saying we don't like God and we need a new one........that is a rejection of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Scapegoat

Leviticus 16:10 But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD to be used for making atonement by sending it into the desert as a scapegoat...... 20 "When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting and the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat. 21 He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat's head. He shall send the goat away into the desert in the care of a man appointed for the task. 22 The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a solitary place; and the man shall release it in the desert.

G. Gordon Liddy is a famous scapegoat in recent American History. Older history books will disclose him as the sole instigator, planner and driver of the Watergate break in that cost Richard Nixon the presidency. Newer accounts will point you to the fact that he was just a part of the Republican machine at the time, he was one of many engaging in "over the fringe" political tactics that dominate our politics, even today. What happened to G. Gordon Liddy that brought all of the blame on him like a lightning rod?

Two things: 1) He got caught red handed breaking in a democratic office. 2) Someone had to accept the blame for the evil done so that the republican party could separate its own image from the wrongdoings. They needed a scapegoat, and he was simply the man on whom the lot fell due to the circumstances. So what happened to G. Gordon Liddy? Two more things: 1) He was punished for the crimes by imprisonment and 2) Now after being released, he has a bit of a martyr persona because of his self sacrifice. He now makes a lot of cash doing sponsorships because even though he was rightly convicted as a felon, it is obvious he took the blame for many and that is a noble rarity in our American me-too culture.

So it is a big stretch from Leviticus 16 to Watergate you might say. Well then brace yourself as we stretch a little further. On whom fell the wrath that you and I are do? Who accepted the punishment for all evil for all time? Who is my scapegoat? Who offers to be yours?

Before we progress further, let me carefully add the fact that G. Gordon was guilty as charged of His felony. His semi heroism was just accepting more blame than was due him. Jesus Christ was perfectly blameless, yet accepted the cumulative sins of mankind on the cross. Jesus is the only scapegoat available for us to place our hands and sins on. As we do, psalms 103 takes traction in our lives as "our sins are removed as far as the East is from the West". Just as the scapegoat in Leviticus 16 was released into a remote wilderness never to be seen again, with the sins of the Israelites upon its head, Christ is the only way our sins are transferred from us. If they are not transferred from us, then they remain on us, and if that is so, then the wrath of God abides on our heads.

So do you have a willingness to take down all of the false idols of your heart like lust, pride, greed, selfishness, drunkenness, sexual immorality and cast those on Christ with the hopes that the penalty for your sins and the sins themselves will be taken away from your life? Or do you just want the penalty gone, but not the desire to sin? The majesty of the Christian faith is its core uniqueness teaches that the only way you can get to God is by letting God serve you first through Christ. All other faiths leave you in a failing attempt to please God in your good deeds. The only problem with trying to please God with our good deeds is us. You and I know what goes on in our souls and we sense the need for redemption. We know we need a scapegoat. We need a savior. Christ stands ready. He was separated from the father on the cross as a scapegoat and the wrath due my sin was on His head.

I praise Him as it is no longer on mine!

A misconception that you don't need one is the largest barrier to Christ exaltation in your life as your scapegoat. The scapegoat gets you to God. Be careful not to think that you can invent a scapegoat in Christ whose purpose is to empower you sin. He empowers us to Live in Christ and make war against sin.

Are we being Hunted?

Ezekiel 13: 18 and say, Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the women who sew magic bands upon all wrists, and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature, in the hunt for souls! Will you hunt down souls belonging to my people and keep your own souls alive? 19 You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, putting to death souls who should not die and keeping alive souls who should not live, by your lying to my people, who listen to lies. 20 “Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against your magic bands with which you hunt the souls like birds, and I will tear them from your arms, and I will let the souls whom you hunt go free, the souls like birds.

The hunt for Red October is clearly my favorite movie of all times. It is a classic cold war thriller, were the US (the good guys) is pitted against the USSR (the bad guys) . The plot of the movie finds both sides hunting a Russian general who is seeking exile with his submarine and officers in the US. Rameus, the Russian general, knows that the submarine that he is commanding was built to bring mass destruction and death to the world, and so he is trying to receive safe harbor in the US in exchange for delivering the first strike sub. As both sides hunt The Red October, it is clear that both sides have different intentions for it when they catch it. The Russians want to blow it up to keep their secrets and eliminate the defecting Russians. The Americans want to grant peaceful exile and familiarize themselves with the technology so that they will not be overwhelmed by its advanced capabilities. Two hunters, one sub, and only one side would catch them first. Luckily it was the US and they received peace and not elimination.

I am struck by the language of Ezekiel 13. God is announcing judgement on evil women who hunt the souls of his people, with worldly distractions. God is in turn sending out Ezekiel hunting them with His offer of repentance and healing. The people in Ezekiel's day were in the same spot as the submarine, the Red October. They were being hunted by two opposing forces and only one would capture their hearts for eternity.

Do we realize that the same thing is happening to us today? Do we believe 1 Peter 5:8, that the devil is hunting us, our wives, families and friends? I don't know about you, but I feel that clearly. I see that and sense that pretty much every day as the world is tough. God, in His grace, is hunting us with the sacrificial Love displayed in the cross. The devil hunts us with temptations to do the devil's favorite things: try to be God ourselves and covertly alter the sovereign word of God.

So where does that leave us? If we have been captured by the Love of the cross, we should do what
Jesus does and hunt others with his love. This starts at home, and it should be done with the intensity that there is another force that is stalking our families, and it has a different end result in mind than we do. It wants to alienate them from you and God. Time is of the essence.