Are You Faithful In Your Response to God's Word
Ezekiel 33:30-33, "Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, everyone to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD. And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not. And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them."
Ezekiel 33 is a powerful chapter as it relates to God's people and our responsibilities. I think one of the greatest tragedies in life is for us to hear the Word and then do nothing with it.
Ezekiel was drawing a crowd who would come hear him speak the Words of the Lord (vs. 30), who made it appear they were God's people, who even spoke with spiritually impressive words, but they would not do them (vs. 31).
Our heart is very capable of deceiving us. Many people think they have engaged God in their personal walk just because they went to church and sat through a message and say the right things. The problem is our heart longs after the wrong things. We need to long for God. We need to allow His Words to sink deep into our hearts and respond faithfully and obediently to His Word. We are deceived if we think anything less than faithful and obedient responses is acceptable.
Jesus often ran into the same type crowd who was labeled as Pharisees, scribes, and hypocrites. Matthew 15:7-9, "Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, this people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me..." They demonstrated spiritual life but didn't possess spiritual life demonstrated through faithfulness and obedience in their walk with God.
James admonishes, "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." (James 1:22-25).
Let's all make sure to respond in faithful obedience to the Word read or spoken. It is the man who is a doer, not just a hearer, who is blessed.
Have a good day walking in obedience to the Word of God.
Your Friend and HIS,
Pastor Abbott
MEDITATIONS
1. Are you sensitive to the preached word? What is your response and to you obey what you hear?
2. How might one be deceived into thinking simply hearing a message at church is enough?
3. How does God want you to respond to His Word? Give detail.