RTW 2022

And I was told to give this message to the people of Israel. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will defile my Temple, the source of your security and pride, the place your heart delights in. Your sons and daughters whom you left behind in Judah will be slaughtered by the sword.
Ezekiel 24:21

Why Lord would you take away Ezekiel’s dearest treasure after his staunch obedience, and then not allowing him to mourn?

It seems merciless, yet you are a God of mercy. I don’t understand, but know that You know best.

Behold, I will profane My sanctuary, your arrogant boast, the desire of your eyes, the delight of your soul: As a husband finds a proper source of joy, confidence, and security in his relationship with his wife, so Israel had an improper source of confidence and security in the temple (your arrogant boast). As Ezekiel’s wife suddenly died, so the sanctuary would suddenly and soon perish. (Ezekiel24:21 KJV)

From yesterday’s lesson

God will bring

• destruction to anything that steals His glory.
• discipline to those who steal His glory, or give it to another.

They thought, “This is God’s house. It is dear to Him and to us. He will never allow it to be conquered.” God shattered this mistaken confidence.

We are living in a day where there seems to be NO difference between the church and the world.

We were meant to be set apart from the world, yet, the church has yoked itself with the world and all its pleasures.

1 Peter 1:15 ESV / 9 helpful votes

But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
1 Peter 1:15 (ESV)

We can not

• Value our church more than we value our God.
• Boast more in our membership, and service to the church more than we boast in God.
• Make the mistake of thinking our church membership is of any value to God, church membership is not in the Bible

A person can sit in church every Sunday that he or she is a member of… serve food to the homeless, and rock babies on Sunday and still go to hell.

Our joy, confidence, and security can not be in a church building, or even the church at large… both will disappoint.

Our joy, confidence, and security should be in the person of Jesus Christ, God our Father, and Holy Spirit.

• Joy
  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
  Romans 15:13 (ESV)
  
  You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
  Psalm 16:11 (ESV)
  
  More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
  Romans 5:11 (ESV)

• Confidence
  On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
  Psalm 62:7 (ESV)
  
  For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—
  Philippians 3:3 (ESV)
  
  But Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.
  Hebrews 3:6 (ESV)

• Security
  Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
  John 5:24 (ESV)
  
  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
  John 10:28 (ESV)
  
  For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
  Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)
  
  Son of man, with one blow I will take away your dearest treasure. Yet you must not show any sorrow at her death. Do not weep; let there be no tears.
  Ezekiel 24:16

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Be determined to make the Lord the source of my joy, confidence, and security. Don’t think for one second that I’m above discipline or the things around me, safe from destruction.