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Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
This week we’re looking at a powerful statement God made through His prophet Ezekiel which is very important for our lives today. Ezekiel 36:23 says “Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I show Myself holy through YOU before their eyes.” God is saying exactly the same thing to His people today, in every country of the world my friends, because there should be a noticeable difference between the holiness of God’s people in everyday living, and what is seen in everyone else, do you agree?
God gave His people 10 powerful Commandments, non-negotiable, timeless Life Guiding Principles, which if lived faithfully, will provide the foundation for a lifestyle that honors God and is noticed by the world as distinctively, attractively different. Today let’s look at the final three:
“You shall not steal” (Ex. 20:15) It’s simple, clear and common sense. It’s a Guiding Life Principle that is easily identifiable. Sharing what you have with others is generosity and it’s commendable. Forcibly taking what is not yours, from anyone, without their offer, is a crime. In some parts of the world homes and businesses have bars on their windows and multiple locks on their doors, security alarm systems, security cameras and even armed security guards with dogs. Why? Of course you know why! Any family, any community, any society must have safety and security from unrestrained thieves, in order to be healthy. Stealing is the outgrowth of a wicked heart which has no respect for others and no sense of honesty or decency. The heart of a thief knows no limit. Stealing a pencil, stealing a bank account, stealing intellectual property… it’s all the same in God’s eyes.
Here’s another God given, Guiding Life Principle…“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” (Ex. 20:16) Have you considered that lying, deceitfulness, stealing, murder, adultery, all flow out of the same place in an evil heart? It’s a dark place which thinks “I will not be accountable or responsible to anyone for anything. Anything I want to do is my right to do, regardless of how it affects anyone else, and I am not responsible for the results of my behavior.” Of course that is lunacy, it is the antithesis of the holy living God enables His people to live.
According to Hebrews 4:13, God Himself will hold every person accountable for everything they’ve ever done or said. “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” Every human relationship is built on trust, and once trust is broken, relationships unravel. Each of us has a reputation, and if yours is that you are deceitful, that you cannot be trusted to think or tell the truth, then you may be sure every person with whom you have any relationship, doesn’t trust you and will protect themselves from allowing your evil to hurt them.
The final Commandment God has given His people is this: “Do not covet…” (Ex. 20:17) Like the other 9, it’s simple, short, easily understood, in any culture of the world. Like the others, this one is also rooted deep in the heart, and is a reflection of my state of BEING. Am I content or ‘discontent’ with my life and with God?
Do you notice all of the Commandments call God’s people to BE content in their relationship with God, confident He knows me better than I know myself because He designed, created and sustains my life? Confident that God is all powerful and sovereign over all, so He can do anything, anytime, in any situation which would accomplish His desire. Confident that He loves me and deeply desires that I find my contentment in honoring Him with my life, trusting Him to be Holy in all circumstances. Now ponder that statement friends.
Do you see that if this is true, from deep within my being, then all 10 of these Commandments will frame and foundation my life, and I will live a life that is both fulfilling for me and makes a big, positive contribution to my family, my community and my society? And ultimately my life will be honoring to God and thus fulfill the purpose for which I exist! And if I turn away from ANY of these powerful Commandments, my life begins to be dysfunctional, my contentment implodes and I live counter-productively and I will generate problems for other people and discord in my family, community and society! Do you agree?
Now please look closely at how the people responded that day to their encounter with God: “…the people trembled with fear and stayed at a distance and said to Moses: ‘Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.” (Ex. 20:18,19) Does that sound familiar? Near his death, the Apostle Paul wrote this to his young friend Timothy “The time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn away from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations…” (2 Timothy 4:3-5) In Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he had written this: “…some will abandon the truth and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons . Such teaching comes through hypocritical liars…” (1 Timothy 4:1,2)
Oh my, that sounds like our day, where-ever you live around the world. It describes most of the information sources who are trying to tell you how to think as they shape your world view, your values, and your priorities! Listen to Moses’ strong advice: “Do not be afraid, God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.” (Ex. 20:20)
There it is my friends, the gold standard of what motivates you and me to live God honoring lives which make a positive difference in our world. It is two types of ‘fear’. First, the appropriate fear of what God’s judgment will be like for our disregard, our rejection of His Guiding Life Principles and our abandonment of Him. Second, this is a call to live in awe and high respect for God, seeking to honor Him with every aspect of our lives, everyday.
When you and I think, speak, and act in ways and with attitudes which HONOR God, we will reject the temptation to sin, we will be very helpful to our chaotic, dysfunctional world and we will point our world to Jesus! We will be healers rather than wounders, constructive rather than destructive people in our dysfunctional world. Oh my this is so needed isn’t it?
Now in closing watch this my dear friends… look at what happened next in Exodus 20. “The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.” (vs. 21) Oh my global “Walking with Jesus” friends, you are now in more than 1200 cities around the world and I urge you to see yourself in this picture. Most of the people where you live are backing AWAY from God, living their lives more and more with total disregard for Him. You are strategically placed, by God Himself, to be a type of Moses… a man or woman who is deeply committed to your relationship with God AND frequently going to God on behalf of your family, your neighbors, the people all around you who desperately need Jesus!
Finally, one last very powerful statement from God to Moses and the people, and to us today: “Wherever I cause My name to be honored, I will come to you and I will bless you.” Do you see it in verse 24 and can you claim it for your home, your church, wherever you meet with God and where you live life? Can you grasp the power of this promise of God for you and your family, friends and city?
Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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