““As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses; and they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, ‘Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.’ So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain. Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them. And when this comes to pass—surely it will come—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.””
Ezekiel 33:30-33 NKJV
The most dangerous place on earth
Sometimes we get caught up in doing things by rote. We do them absentmindedly, not because we are devoted to the practice, but because out is habit. Because it is a habit, we do not approach the conduct of whatever task it is halfheartedly, with no passion or attention to what we are doing.
For so many church has become a weekly habit. Many people enter church buildings around the world, and occupy a pew. They are not there to meet with the Lord, but they are there because they feel they should be there, as if their attendance will somehow curry favor with God.
In reality, they have placed themselves in eternal danger, for they have sat down in a pew, not realizing that it is the most dangerous place on earth.
Back in Ezekiel this morning, reading in chapter thirty three. As I completed the chapter, I was reminded of the ongoing relevance of the word of God. In the time of Ezekiel, there were those who willing sat for the word of God, professed to be His people, and heard all that was said. Yet they did none of it.
The had no consciousness of the Lord, for in their unbelief they thought that they could fool the Lord. In reality, the Lord knows those who are His, for He is fully aware of His creation.
“O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.”
Psalms 139:1-4 NKJV
I have met many self professed followers of Jesus, who attended every given week, but show absolutely no fruit in their lives. The men seem preoccupied with everything but God, and the women are busy about flirting, gossiping, slandering, and all manner of mischief.
They are as barren, dried trees, tinder, awaiting the fires of hell.
I sometimes wonder why they even bother. I guess the Spirit filled sermons are like an old familiar song, pleasant to the ear, and not moving to the soul, for their hearts are stony and cold. They are there, sadly all too often, to sow discord, to cause those who are there to actually worship Jesus, to stumble.
They are tares sown in among the wheat. Those of us who walk by Spirit have an inkling, for the Lord guards those who are His. But we are to do nothing, for the Lord Himself will sort them out.
“Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ””
Matthew 13:24-30 NKJV
For their efforts, if there is no turning toward repentance, they will find themselves in the lake of fire.
My most urgent prayers these days are for those who in that dangerous place, being people who have little desire for the things of God, who sit in churches, but have no idea of what is to come. In these perilous days, there is little time to play, for the Lord is about to do great things as He is making room in the Barn, and even now the fire is being stoked.
Brothers and sisters, let us be about praying for the saints, especially those who do not seem to show fruit. Pray that they become heated from lukewarm, or that they make sure their salvation.
By sitting in that pew, hearing the message of the Gospel and refusing the urging of the Holy Spirit time and time again they have made themselves guilty of blasphemy when the Spirit no longer calls.
The workers will be coming soon, and they will sort out the tares from the wheat. May there be nary a tare to be found.
Have a Fabulous Friday!
#prayfortheharvest
#prayforthepersecuted
#prayforthepeaceofIsrael
#prayforthegospeltospreadeverywhere
Musings from an idle mind 
Definitely a dangerous place to be.
“It is the same sun that melts the butter,
as that which hardens the clay.”
Pastor Greg Laurie.
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