Transcript 4 QUESTIONS LEADERS ASK Ezekiel 13-14 The word of the Lord came to me: Son of Man, prophesy against the prophets.

4 QUESTIONS LEADERS ASK
Ezekiel 13-14
The word of the Lord came to me: Son of
Man, prophesy against the prophets of
Israel, who are prophesying, and say to
those who prophesy from their own
hearts: ‘Hear the word of the Lord!’ Thus
says the Lord God, Woe to the foolish
prophets who follow their own spirit and
have seen nothing.
EZEKIEL 13.1-3
God’s WISDOM outweighs
My IMAGINATION
4 Questions to Ask:
1. AM I ADDRESSING PROBLEMS? (13.514)
DON’T IGNORE PROBLEMS
You have not gone up into the breaches,
or built up a wall for the house of Israel,
that it might stand in battle in the day of
the Lord.
EZEKIEL 13.5
BE HONEST ABOUT YOUR PROBLEMS
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,, say to those who smear it
with whitewash that it will fall!
EZEKIEL 13.10-11
COVERING PROBLEMS UP MAKES
THEM WORSE
I will break down the wall that you have
smeared with whitewash, and bring it
down to the ground, so that its
foundation will be laid bare.
EZEKIEL 13.14
WAYS TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS
1. Stop ignoring what you know to be
true
2. Have the conversation you keep
talking yourself out of
3. Be completely transparent and receive
feedback
4 Questions to Ask:
1. AM I ADDRESSING PROBLEMS? (13.514)
2. AM I BEING MYSELF? (13.20-21)
I am against your magic bands with
which you hunt souls like birds, and I will
tear them from your arms and I will let
the souls whom you hunt go free. Your
veils also I will tear off and deliver my
people out of your hand and they shall be
no more in your hand as prey.
EZEKIEL 13.20-21
WAYS TO TEAR OFF VEILS
1. Name your strengths and weaknesses
2. Stop denying clear feedback
3. View criticism as a valuable source of
information
4 Questions to Ask:
1. AM I ADDRESSING PROBLEMS? (13.514)
2. AM I BEING MYSELF? (13.20-21)
3. WHAT IS MY HEART CAPTURED BY?
(14.1-5)
Some of the elders have taken their idols
into their hearts and set the stumbling block
of their iniquity before their faces. Should I
indeed let myself be consulted by them?
Therefore speak to them and say, ‘[If these
men come to you] I the Lord will answer him
as he comes with the multitude of his idols
that I may lay hold of the hearts of the
house of Israel who are all estranged from
me through their idols.’
EZEKIEL 14.1-5
For although they knew God, they did not
honor him as God or given thanks to him,
but they became futile in their thinking
and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
and exchanged the glory of the immortal
God for images resembling mortal man.
ROMANS 1.21-23
It would seem that our Lord finds our
desires not too strong, but too weak. We
are half-hearted creatures fooling about
with drinking and sex and ambition when
infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant
child who wants to go on making mud
pies in a slum because he cannot
imagine what is meant by the offer of a
holiday at the seat. We are far too easily
pleased.
CS LEWIS
DO YOU TALK LIKE THIS ABOUT
JESUS?
MOSES: “Show me your glory.” (Ex
33.18)
DAVID: “My soul pants for you, my God”
(Ps 42.1)
PAUL: “I want to know Christ…” (Phil
3.10)
I have had such delicious thoughts about
God that I am near ashamed to mention
them.
BROTHER LAWRENCE
WAYS TO LET JESUS CAPTURE YOUR
HEART
1. Are your aspirations the same as
Christ’s?
2. Set time aside to “Get to Know Jesus”
by reading scripture and praying
3. Learn from others in a Small Group
4 Questions to Ask:
1. AM I ADDRESSING PROBLEMS? (13.514)
2. AM I BEING MYSELF? (13.20-21)
3. WHAT IS MY HEART CAPTURED BY?
(14.1-5)
4. DO I PRACTICE CONFESSION AND
REPENTENCE? (14.6-11)
Therefore say to the people of Israel,
‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
Repent! Turn from your idols and
renounce all your detestable
practices…Then the people of Israel will
no longer stray from me, nor will they
defile themselves anymore with all their
sins. They will be my people and I will be
their God, declares the Sovereign Lord.
EZEKIEL 14.6,11
shuv – to return
‫ׁשּוב‬
Come close to God and God will come
close to you. Wash your hands, you
sinners; purify your hearts, for your
loyalty is divided between God and the
world. Let there be tears for what you
have done. Let there be sorrow and deep
grief. Let there be sadness instead of
laughter, and gloom instead of joy.
Humble yourselves before the Lord and
he will lift you up in honor
JAMES 4.8-10
WAYS TO CONFESS AND REPENT
1. Say I am sorry and don’t qualify your
action
2. Own your sin personally and don’t try
to excuse it
3. Come close to God.