"REDECORATING"
Intro: Jerusalem must fall - she has forsaken God, the fountain of living
water. Judgment is a difficult process - question of fairness.
Especially to captives, hundreds of miles away in Babylon. So God
took Ezekiel by the Spirit back to Jerusalem, to behold the
abominations done in the open.
I. "DIG A HOLE IN THE WALL."
A. Here as he looked around, he saw worse abominations.
1. Lewd paintings on the wall.
2. Men were engaged in vile activities.
B. God said, "See what they do in the dark?"
1. It is a mistake to think that you are hiding anything
from God.
a. Light and darkness are alike to Him.
b. The patience of God is often misinterpreted as:
1. Blindness.
2. Indifference (it doesn't matter).
3. Condoning.
4. Approval.
c. "Be not deceived, God is not mocked."
C. God had allowed Ezekiel to go into the chambers of their
imaginations.
1. It's impossible to hide your deeds from God but more
frightening.
2. It's impossible to hide your thoughts from God.
a. "Thou understandest my thoughts afar off."
b. "All things are naked and open before the eyes
of Him with whom we have to do."
3. As God walks through the galleries of your
imaginations, what kind of paintings does He see there?
a. What abominations does He behold?
b. "It is thy mercies that we are not consumed."
c. Jesus said, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so
is he."
d. Prov. - "Keep thy heart with all diligence..."
e. Jesus said, "For out of the heart proceed evil
thoughts, murderers, adulteries, fornications,
thefts, false witness, blasphemies."
II. GOD WANTS TO DO A REDECORATING JOB IN YOUR LIFE.
A. He changes from the inside out.
1. So often people try reforms.
a. We whitewash the wall on outside.
b. New drapes to cover the filthy art.
2. He wants to remove all the old paintings within.
3. Replace them with new.
a. A heart stayed on Him.
b. A heart of praise and thanksgiving.
c. A pure heart, "Blessed are..."
B. You may say, "But God, I have tried to clean up my act, but I
can't."
1. His answer to you is, "just grant Me the permission - I
will clean it up."
a. All it takes on your part is desire.
1. Do you desire to be clean?
2. Do you desire to be pure?
C. God will do for you what you can't do for yourself.
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Chuck Smith (1927 - 2013)
Pastor Chuck was used in the Jesus People revival where he was used along with others to minister to the hippy young people. They saw a work of the Spirit where many were added to the church and discipled. He has raised up many pastors who are a part of the Calvary Chapel movement now and where he pastors the large Costa Mesa church in California.The Calvary Chapel movement is based of simple principles that Chuck Smith taught over the years such as: The priority of agape love, Simple fellowship amongst the saints, the breaking of bread, the teaching of God's word chapter by chapter and verse by verse. And lastly and most importantly the principle not by might nor by power but by my spirit saith the Lord.