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We seem addicted to ourselves.

My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who give lying divinations. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord God. Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, 'Peace,' when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash…. Ezekiel 13:9-10 (ESV)   Evil doers often redefine concepts, such as peace, to control the masses. Declaring that life is wonderful when it is not mentally paralyzes people and causes confusion. When one struggles with an addiction, they need to admit the addiction to begin the healing process. A declaration that the addiction is not an addiction is the single greatest hindrance to the healing process.   We seem addicted to ourselves and live as if there is no God. All will see that there is no peace without God. We need to admit, indivi...
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Powerful!

Then this message came to me from the LORD: "Son of man, prophesy against the false prophets of Israel who are inventing their own prophecies. Say to them, 'Listen to the word of the LORD. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: What sorrow awaits the false prophets who are following their own imaginations and have seen nothing at all!'” Ezekiel 13:1-3 (NLT)   It is not right to substitute the word of Dave for the Word of the Lord. I am Dave; God is God. There is a huge difference. When I elevate my thoughts and ideas to the level of God's, I am on dangerous ground.   The significance of words comes from the one who utters them. God has no opinions and does not say random words. I have opinions and can easily utter random words.   We must guard against substituting our logic for the revealed will of God and realize that whatever God says, whether or not we understand it or agree with it, is right. To be healthy, we must have a way to check what we say, for we easily and ...
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We must recall the good, the bad, and the ugly to the next generation.

But I will let a few of them escape from the sword, from famine and pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the nations where they go, and they may know that I am the Lord. Ezekiel 12:16 (ESV)   The importance of knowing that God is God cannot be understated.   We were made to know, trust, and obey God. We will never find significance and security apart from Him. As Godlessness increases, the struggle for significance and security will increase, and the byproducts of those who feel insignificant and insecure will abound.   It is easy to get lost in the moment and forget what we should remember, and remember what we should forget. Joshua was told to pile stones as a lasting reminder of God's intervention on their behalf. The rainbow was given to remind us that God will never wipe out the earth with a flood again.   We must recall the good, the bad, and the ugly to the next generation so they might have a better opportunity to increase the good a...
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What do I see?

Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are a rebellious house. Ezekiel 12:2 (ESV)   Why do I ignore what is obvious? If I hear something that should apply to me, I do not always apply it. I can easily apply truth to other people's lives, but for some reason, I do not need to apply it to my own. I seem to have ears that do not hear and eyes that do not see.   It would be weird if my eyes saw what others saw, yet never saw what I needed to see. It would be equally weird to hear what others hear, but never hear what is said to me. Christians seem "gifted" at hearing and seeing for others, yet they are challenged by a hearing-and-seeing deficiency.   As a schoolteacher, I was given the privilege of teaching hearing-impaired students. My teaching ability was not as significant as my deep voice, as some of the children could hear my tones clearly. Perhaps we need to pay attention...
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The entitled bring disaster on their own heads.

But as for those whose heart goes after their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their deeds upon their own heads, declares the Lord God. Ezekiel 11:21 (ESV)   When disaster strikes, is it due to God punishing us or the logical conclusion of our Godless lives? When I beat my head on a rock, do I experience pain because God is capable of stopping me and does not, or because He allows the natural byproduct of my decisions to be manifest?   Whose problem is it if I exclude God from my life and He remains distant from me? Does God punish me, or do I punish myself by excluding Him? Does it matter?   An entitled generation accepts no responsibility for the consequences that are tied to their own decisions or behavior. The entitled expect food, comfort, purpose, pleasure, power, and affirmation, regardless of personal decisions and/or effort.   The entitled value false affirmation over no affirmation, and they are easily offended by anyone who challenges...
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This fight, if understood, does not lead to despair.

You shall fall by the sword. I will judge you at the border of Israel, and you shall know that I am the Lord. Ezekiel 11:10 (ESV)   Life is not complicated. God designed us to love Him, enjoy Him, and allow Him to be seen in us. When we refuse to do that, we live meaningless lives.   Those who have refused to enjoy God will need to endure a plethora of struggles. They will struggle for purpose in life and death. They will be plagued by depression, anxiety, self-harm, and political posturing. They will endure life rather than enjoy an abundant life. These struggles should point out that we have ignored God.   The Evil One does not ignore those who do not ignore God. There is nothing more dangerous to Satan than loving God and enjoying Him. Therefore, those who live in harmony with God will be constantly assaulted by him.   This fight, if understood, does not lead to despair, but energizes the purposeful life. This fight is not ours to fight; it is ours to enjoy becaus...
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God is merciful. I have choices.

Therefore I will act in wrath. My eye will not spare, nor will I have pity. And though they cry in my ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them. Ezekiel 8:18 (ESV)   Many tragedies occur in life. Some of them are unavoidable; others are the result of poor choices. The greatest tragedy in life is the absence of God, and our personal choices cause this.   God is merciful and gracious, and slow to anger, but that does not mean He does not get angry. There seems to be a point throughout Scripture where God says "enough" and allows those who have ignored Him all their lives to live in the consequence of this ignorance.   When we tell people that God will always hear their prayers, we are saying something that we have no right to say. God is sovereign, merciful, and graceful, and gives man real choices, and these choices have real consequences.   Sometimes the consequences of our choices end in tragedy. If there were no consequences, choice would be a farce, and love wo...
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