To: The Cities That Have Ears To Hear
Before I get to the crux of this entry, God has first given me instruction to divide the following scripture.
I, the Lord, will punish all those, both Israelites and foreigners, who reject me and set up idols in their hearts so they fall into sin, and who then come to a prophet asking for my advice. [Ezekiel 14:7, NLT]
It's not THAT you come; it's HOW you come. God doesn't forbid His people to come to His Prophet. The preceeding scripture was directed toward those who had engaged the instructions of false prophets (idols) in their hearts; AND THEN went and sat before God's Prophet. In such a scenario, whether in a temple, on a train, or any place else, to be certain, you never have to speak a word, God knows why and how you've come.
Never would I have called anyone to me, for any reason, with the many foolish rituals that have been set before me in this city. How disgustingly insulting to Jesus's finished work, whereby the curtain was forever ripped, granting direct access to the Father, through faith.
The false prophets will never give you the complete text, in context; but always, only enough to twist the Word of God for their own glory. The first part is that you are never to entertain their counsel. That’s the part they're NOT going to tell you. God neither indwells false prophets nor idols. While corruption blesses the corrupt. False prophets can never legitimately invite you into their presence for authentic "blessing" wrought of the Holy Spirit; but instead, send you, with disrespect, to the one who is indwelled. And even they themselves, like in the book Ezekiel, seek to go before God's true Prophet. Even within the dynamic of the book of Ezekiel, amid God's decree not to speak to such people, did He send His messenger, Ezekiel to speak that, and many messages to those very people, on His behalf. What was the core of those messages?
Before I get to the crux of this entry, God has first given me instruction to divide the following scripture.
I, the Lord, will punish all those, both Israelites and foreigners, who reject me and set up idols in their hearts so they fall into sin, and who then come to a prophet asking for my advice. [Ezekiel 14:7, NLT]
It's not THAT you come; it's HOW you come. God doesn't forbid His people to come to His Prophet. The preceeding scripture was directed toward those who had engaged the instructions of false prophets (idols) in their hearts; AND THEN went and sat before God's Prophet. In such a scenario, whether in a temple, on a train, or any place else, to be certain, you never have to speak a word, God knows why and how you've come.
Never would I have called anyone to me, for any reason, with the many foolish rituals that have been set before me in this city. How disgustingly insulting to Jesus's finished work, whereby the curtain was forever ripped, granting direct access to the Father, through faith.
The false prophets will never give you the complete text, in context; but always, only enough to twist the Word of God for their own glory. The first part is that you are never to entertain their counsel. That’s the part they're NOT going to tell you. God neither indwells false prophets nor idols. While corruption blesses the corrupt. False prophets can never legitimately invite you into their presence for authentic "blessing" wrought of the Holy Spirit; but instead, send you, with disrespect, to the one who is indwelled. And even they themselves, like in the book Ezekiel, seek to go before God's true Prophet. Even within the dynamic of the book of Ezekiel, amid God's decree not to speak to such people, did He send His messenger, Ezekiel to speak that, and many messages to those very people, on His behalf. What was the core of those messages?
REPENT
DESTRUCTION
DESTRUCTION
Now regarding job security...
THE WORKER'S WAGES
In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. [1 Corinthians 9:14]
"Will a man rob God?"
Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. [Romans 4:4]
When God's worker is cheated of his wages, it is in essence robbing God. Part of the worker's wages are devoted to the Master, in tithes and offering. I first and foremost, speak for my wages.
But you say, 'How have we robbed you? ' In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. [Malachi 3:8-10 (ESV)]
Since God is the one who hires the workers, He is the only one who can fire them. But, when the worker is cast out of the house, a major portion of his wages being withheld, is again an effort to usurp His authority as the one who hires.
“Thou shalt not oppress thy neighbor, nor rob him: the wages of a hired servant shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.” [Leviticus 19:13]
If a city has dealt fairly with God's worker, she has firstly, welcomed both messenger and message; not cast them out. Again, "The worker deserves his wages." It is either wages or a gift: it cannot be both. If wages (even partial), it is earned and not gifted; therefore, no reward is due (God owes you nothing). You cannot intentionally withhold the wages, then try to claim the rewards of a gift or loan. "God is not mocked."
Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. [James 5:4]
The problem is, man counts more worthy, the works of his own hands, rather than the works of the LORD. GOD’S WORD IS HIS WORK, and those who work for Him, proclaim His Word.
Christ's Instructions:
Would Jesus’s Righteous counsel ever advised anyone to go before a stranger with turned backs, cussing them out, and patting your butts at them; or any of the other countless insulting obscenities that this city has levied on me in response to speaking The Word of God?
Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. [Hebrews 13:9]
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. [Hebrews 13:2]
Just as He repeatedly spoke through Ezekiel, until God ceases to speak to me in this assignment, there is more to come.
