This Changes Everything! How to Harness the Correct Motivation (Ezekiel 14-20)
Have you ever considered what motivates you? What are the driving factors leading you to make the decisions you do?
Family ~ Pride ~ Faith ~ Guilt ~ Conviction ~ Weakness ~ Pleasure ~ Hope
This changes everything when we harness the ultimate reason for our motivation and seek it out. In other words, it is hidden in the pages of the Bible… if we choose to motivate ourselves to read it we will find it. This changes EVERYTHING!
It’s never too late to start!
Download your first two weeks free by signing up below (or buy Book One of the Family Bible Plan)!
Have you ever considered what motivates you? What are the driving factors leading you to make the decisions you do?
Family ~ Pride ~ Faith ~ Guilt ~ Conviction ~ Weakness ~ Pleasure ~ Hope
This changes everything when we harness the ultimate reason for our motivation and seek it out. In other words, it is hidden in the pages of the Bible… if we choose to motivate ourselves to read it we will find it. This changes EVERYTHING!
It’s never too late to start!
Download your first two weeks free by signing up below (or buy Book One of the Family Bible Plan)!
The Israelites...
The Israelite elders of the segment living in exile with Ezekiel sought him out to inquire of the Lord for them.
Well, well, well. Who do we have here hoping for a favorable word from the Lord? It wasn’t prodigal elders returning in humble submission or repentance; they were still going strong in their sins. It was men who God said could all no longer inquire of Him… even through a righteous prophet.
Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
For any one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel, who separates himself from me, taking his idols into his heart and putting the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to a prophet to consult me through him, I the Lord will answer him myself.
And I will set my face against that man; I will make him a sign and a byword and cut him off from the midst of my people, and you shall know that I am the Lord."
Turning away...
It is no new thing in the Bible at this point to hear about God turning His face away. At some point, He will give us over to sin and let us live as we choose.
So how do you choose to live? Are you willing to risk that living in continual sin (a sinful life/lifestyle, not a life where you commit a sin and truly repent) will eventually turn God’s face away?
How well did that turn out for the Israelites? God’s wrath was poured out on those who chose to debase themselves with idolatry instead of holding firm to the one true God.
This changes everything - Part 1
His name's sake
This changes everything…
Why did God do what he did with the Israelites? I mean, it seems like an excessive punishment….
For His name’s sake.
For His name’s sake he brought them out of Egypt, to spare the profaning of His name by those in other nations. His name.
Sometimes, Christians hinder the protective nature that should surround His name. It is no small thing to do something in sin as a Christian. It is no small thing to profane God’s name in any manner… even if it’s a commonly used expression. It is also no small matter to act in a way unworthy of the name we claim to bear.
When we tend to brush aside the seriousness of who we claim to represent on earth, we fail miserably to recognize the sovereignty and holiness of God Himself.
Whose fault is it?
So who is there to hold accountable for the consequences or eternal future you face?
Yourself.
There is no group that can indemnify or condemn you. No church that can save or send you to your eternal destination. No pastor, no spouse, no child, no friend can do this for you.
It is entirely on you if you choose to live a righteous life.
If he fathers a son who is violent, a shedder of blood, who does any of these things (though he himself did none of these things), who even eats upon the mountains, defiles his neighbor's wife, oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore the pledge, lifts up his eyes to the idols, commits abomination, lends at interest, and takes profit; shall he then live?
He shall not live. He has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon himself.
“Now suppose this man fathers a son who sees all the sins that his father has done; he sees, and does not do likewise... he shall not die for his father's iniquity; he shall surely live.
As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what is not good among his people, behold, he shall die for his iniquity.
Every man [is responsible] for himself...
The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son.
The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.
Obviously the worldly version of this is alive and well: every man for himself. But look at the updated phrase in Biblical context here: every man is responsible for himself.
The Bible has taken us up through the forming of the world, people, God’s chosen nation, the battles of humanity… all to point us to prepare for the climax of the story: Jesus dying on the cross and being raised from the dead to save us from our sins.
Here, it is of note that we are getting prepared for the personal responsibility that we all have to take in light of our faith following the climax.
In the Bible, after Jesus’ resurrection, particular note is given to the meeting of believers (churches), but then brings it to a personal level; our personal relationship.
Accountability...
The walk you have will not be mimicked by anyone, it is uniquely yours. Your past, thoughts, trials, joys, and triumphs have all played a part in your particular relationship to make it what it is today with Jesus.
No one else in the world has your same relationship with God! Think about that… it is a unique relationship just like your relationships on earth.
However, are you doing your part to maintain and strengthen the relationship? It can be said of two people, the phone goes both ways. It takes two people to maintain a relationship, no different than our relationship with God.
Are you maintaining this relationship… the most important relationship you will ever have?
Are you sitting back expecting God will watch you float through your existence as you expect to be invited into His house because you said a prayer or went by the name ‘Christian’? Or are you seeking Him, communicating with Him in prayer, studying about Him, learning about the Bible to see what He gifted us with?
Which is it? It’s either a lukewarm relationship or an active, growing relationship. Let’s never forget the warning for the lukewarm….
This changes everything for those striving to walk in truth…
For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. ..."
This changes everything - Part 2
Forgiveness
God demonstrates His goodness all throughout the Old Testament as we witness the Israelites and how they treated God. He is a loving God, but also a just God.
Those two are not inseparable traits but compatible when we consider God’s holiness.
None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live."
Wow! God offers hope and true forgiveness for the wicked!
And who are the wicked? Well, if we are redeemed, we were the wicked. And if we haven’t truly repented and given our lives to Jesus, then we are still considered the wicked. It sounds REALLY harsh, I know! But we absolutely must(!) evaluate everything in this world against Biblical standards.
The Biblical reality is, there are only three types of people: those of the world, the lukewarm Christian, and the true Christian.
Only 1 will be in Heaven. Which one are you?
This changes everything... for you?
Self-evaluation time: what changes everything for you to live your life in light of eternity?
Do you see that in these passages alone God provides some answers for honorable motivations? Do you live accordingly that God’s name will be glorified? Do you live according to the responsibility you have for living a righteous life?
Last Week
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What an inspiring thought–that my relationship with the Lord is unique!