Ezekiel 14:1-23, NIV
MM
Highlights: …men set up idols in their hearts…put wicked stumbling-blocks before their faces. Should I let them enquire of me at all? vs 3-4
Thought: nothing should replace God in our hearts. Wealth, status or any other things etc is good so long as it does not replace God as number one in our heart.
Thought: One’s sins blocked the right of access to God…walks in righteousness in God’s eyes being granted access to God….also saved the person vs 14, 19. Righteousness in God-right-standing with God.
Individual accountability: ..save only themselves by their righteousness..vs 14, vs 20
Repent (turn around)…put God first in our hearts before too late..being destroyed vs 6
Complicit in sins of other people is as guilty..the prophet will be as guilty as the one who consults him vs 9-10.
God’s arsenal-four dreadful judgements-1. Sword 2. Famine 3. Wild beasts 4. Plague vs 21
God does everything with a cause vs 23. Cause and effect.
Study God’s words and seek Him daily for wisdom.
Solution: Repent (turn around)…put God first in our hearts before too late..being destroyed vs 6
Mark 4:26-34, NIV
MM
Kingdom of God illustrated through parables…growing seed..corn…as soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it…the harvest has come..vs 26-29..refers to Judgment day? Time to sow, grow and harvest.
Parable:…mustard seed…starts as mallest seed…then become the largest of all garden plants..big branches…does this refers to the Christian religion or movement…spreads globally.
1 Timothy 6:1-20, NIV
MM
Slaves to serve their masters well and masters to treat them well esp brothers in Christ vs 1-2
Avoids anyone teaches false doctrines..conceited and understands nothing..unhealthy interest in controversies and arguments…results in quarrelling, malicious talk..robbed of the truth..godliness with contentment us great gain vs 6..
Guards against love of money..can become one’s idol in their hearts. Naked you come to this world..nothing you leave this world..put hope in God not wealth.
…command them to do good, to be rich ingood deeds, and to be generous and willing to share vs 18…lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age…
..guard what has been entrusted to your care…Turn away from godless chatter vs 20…
1 Timothy 6:6-16
[6]Well, religion does make a person very rich, if he is satisfied with what he has.
[7]What did we bring into the world? Nothing! What can we take out of the world? Nothing!
[8]So then, if we have food and clothes, that should be enough for us.
[9]But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and are caught in the trap of many foolish and harmful desires, which pull them down to ruin and destruction.
[10]For the love of money is a source of all kinds of evil. Some have been so eager to have it that they have wandered away from the faith and have broken their hearts with many sorrows.
[11]But you, man of God, avoid all these things. Strive for righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.
[12]Run your best in the race of faith, and win eternal life for yourself; for it was to this life that God called you when you firmly professed your faith before many witnesses.
[13]Before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who firmly professed his faith before Pontius Pilate, I command you
[14]to obey your orders and keep them faithfully until the Day when our Lord Jesus Christ will appear.
[15]His appearing will be brought about at the right time by God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
[16]He alone is immortal; he lives in the light that no one can approach. No one has ever seen him; no one can ever see him. To him be honour and eternal dominion! Amen.