My path to idolatry begins by seeing things in the world that I don’t have and desire. While this may be an unintentional thought that pops up, the moment I fail to combat the thought with truth, the farther I continue on the path towards idolatry. Psalm 16:2- “I say to the LORD, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.’” I must combat these thoughts with the truth! No good is apart from God! Whatever satisfaction is "promised" by the desire is a mirage.
The way which we ought to read chapters like these is similar to James 1:22-25. Instead of saying “that could never be me,” we should realize we’re looking into a mirror and see a picture traced out that could easily be us. For without my Savior I am a hopeless and wretched sinner. Therefore reading this convicts me of the depths of my sin and heightens my hearts worship to God for paying for it on the cross. Yet, I know my flesh is still prone to wander and need to continually repent. Lord my heart is prone to wander, yea I feel it. In my heart I have treasured other things greater than you. I have gone to other things for deliverance in times of hardship rather than going to you, my Deliverer. Father, forgive me of this idolatry I have committed as I let other things get in the way of my relationship with you. Forgive me of my selfishness, my pride, and my folly. For I have fallen short of loving you with all my heart, soul, and might. Let my worship to you be by the Spirit who dwells in me. May I live and walk by him. May your name be glorified by my hearts intent continually. O how wretched we are, broken and hopelesss; how much we need the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Ezekiel 23:39 - For when they had slaughtered their children in sacrifice to their idols, on the same day they came into my sanctuary to profane it. And behold, this is what they did in my house.
I don’t know that I’ve ever consciously thought, “wow! That’s better than God! I want that!” But I have certainly put one specific sin before God. I used to have a problem with alcohol- specifically wine. I would drink several glasses every evening, and justify it by telling myself that it wasn’t hurting anyone. I wasn’t drinking and driving. I wasn’t going out to bars. I wasn’t lusting after other men. Besides, Jesus turned water into wine so it isn’t really a sin. Praise the Lord that I was convicted of this sin. I have repented. I no longer touch any kind of alcohol. I am clear headed and focused on God. Now I spend every morning in prayer and studying scripture, instead of trying to recover from the previous evenings indulgence. “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit” Ephesians 5:18
Wow, this is a very intense chapter. Even at my age in the stage of my life I blush when I read things such as this. I think we have to continually think about what idolatry is... Putting *anything* before our desire for God. And that deception comes in many forms. I pray that as God's children, that we truly love God more than anything else. I have seen things in life and how idolatry can creep into hearts. Do we have sincerity with words but not in action or attitude of the heart ? I have remembered that pastor Bobby has referenced Psalm 73 and have read it when I needed to be reminded again to see the emptiness in worldly things. Unfortunately I have seen that there is pride for some with worldly possessions like expensive houses, cars, clothes, and money in the bank that blinds many believers. I am certain that we have all been a victim to idolatry to some degree, at one point or another. But thankfully the Lord circumcises our hearts and opens our eyes to his truth. And at times I have gone back and read Psalm 73 just for that reason of remembering that no matter what experiences or possessions that any of us have on this Earth that we must remember..."but as for me, it is good to be near god. I have made The sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds." Psalm 73;28.
Wow thanks for sharing. I can relate! I was also convicted of this sin too!! Praise a good, he is good! I no longer drink...instead I find comfort and satisfaction in God and run to him in prayer! I alway think of the verse “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8
“ spiritual adultery is a common temptation for all of us at this church” Ezekiel 23, Psalm 73 and Pastor Bobby spoke the truth today and it hurts! Reflecting on my own heart and life it’s sad to say but I am tempted with and even fall into spiritual adultery. It hurts to know that’s true but it is. God has instructed me on how to live and he says “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” I spent a long time thinking about this and come up with this simple truth. If I know God’s commandments and I break them because of a desire for something else it’s an idol and an act of spiritual adultery. Plain and simple here are ways I am tempted or fall into spiritual adultery. 1. Desiring money, comfort and a life of ease. This one is one that I have to fight everyday! I know God’s way are better than worldly wealth! I know the narrow road is hard but better because it leads to him! I must always remind myself that God is better than all things because daily the world is trying to convince me other wise! 2. Making my kids and idol. Until recently I wouldn’t have said this was an idol in my life. But after reading Ezekiel 16 I realized if someone hurts my kids I get angry and want to “defend” them, but it’s sin and I am breaking God’s law! That means they are an idol in my life. 3. The idol of self is evident by the times I do not forgive fully or quickly. Again, until Ezekiel 16 I would have thought I conquered this area of my life but I realized in my heart I still hold a grudge. This is a stupid sin! I know how perfect God’s judgment is. And I know whether on the cross or in hell all sin will be judged! I also know my little grudge does not need to be added to God’s judgment, but I do it for what reason? To please my idol? This is sinful and disgusting! Will spend the day apologizing to God and praying for victory over these sins!
“When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.” Psalm 73:21-22 It is easy to look back on how I lived before God saved me and identify my sins (which were many)... pride, idolizing my children, alcoholism, profanity, gossip - All the while calling myself a Christian. My biggest challenge since He saved me four years ago is to be vigilant and aware of falling into sins that are much more “subtle.” My flesh still wants to be friends with the world. At home in my personal “bubble” that is easy! At work, it is a constant battle. My natural desire to want to be “liked” and to fit in goes directly against living in a way that is above reproach - not laughing at crude jokes, not participating in inappropriate conversations... James 4:4 - “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” God has sustained me in this, but it is a daily temptation and cause for me to pray before each shift. He is so good to answer my prayers!
It's definitely easy to read a chapter like this and think to myself, "Thankful I was never that bad!" Or even, "I will never ever be like them", even though 1 Corinthians 10 tells us not to be proud but instead take heed while we are standing in the Lord. Before I was saved I was like Oholibah. Since being saved I have had moments in which I chased the things I used to, but I hated what I used to love and repented of that. I have had many MORE moments of being like Asaph, where I said with my lips "surely God is good", but in my heart I started to think, "All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence." Specifically, I think of my last on-campus semester at California State University, Long Beach in 2019. I remember that I had made some friends in my classes who professed Christ but didn't live like Christians. They were popular and fit in with the world, and part of me wanted that. I also was single at that time and I wanted God to make me more of a man, but some Proverbs 5 type ladies were coming to me out of nowhere! So I have these fake Christians wanting me to join them in their worldliness, and even other unforeseen temptations coming up, but all the while I wanted to be a true man of God and grow in Christ. Honestly, like Asaph, I really wrestled with wanting the world. But through prayer, confession, and some great encouragement from some amazing brothers, I was soon after these temptations able to say with Asaph, "Truly you set them in slippery places", and, "Whom have I in Heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you." The words of Peter in John 6 shall ever ring true to me when the world beckons with its poison hand: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
Today’s chapter was eye opening and requires one to reflect on “cheating on God.” The adultery of Samaria and Jerusalem made me think of the parallels to our nation. I think back to the election and how there was a political movement unlike any we have seen before - “America First.” I wonder what our Lord thought of this? Today I am praying for another movement, that our nation can experience a revival unlike any other - “God First.”
"But righteous men shall pass judgment on them with the sentence of adulteresses, and with the sentence of women who shed blood, because they are adulteresses, and blood is on their hands.” - Ezekiel 23:45 This chapter made it very clear just how seriously God takes sin. How much God hates it when someone turns to these abominations instead of Him. But the righteous person has power to overcome these temptations. The righteous person has the strength to overcome these evils! "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." - 1 Corinthians 10:13 Through the power of Christ we can overcome even the hardest of temptations! God will always provide a way of escape, but we can't just say we believe that and overcome sin, we have to put our trust in it. We have to store up the scripture in our hearts to see victory over sin! "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." - Psalm 119:9-11 How can I keep my way pure? By storing up the scripture in my heart. I'm reminded of Jesus in Matthew 4. Jesus was tempted by Satan 3 different times, but He didn't give in. He used the word of the Lord to combat temptation! We need to do that same thing! We need to be ready for any and every temptation that could be thrown our way and prepared to overcome it with scripture! Praying that we would be a people that bring Christ glory in the way that we live and that we would be completely set apart from sin!
““Her sister Oholibah saw this, and she became more corrupt than her sister in her lust and in her whoring, which was worse than that of her sister.” -Ezekiel 23:11 In Ezekiel 23, we have a graphic chapter about the unfaithfulness of the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah depicted as two sisters. It struck me that at the verse beginning of verse 11, before the wickedness of Judah is described, we have these words “Her sister Oholibah saw this”. Judah saw what happened to the northern kingdom of Israel. Historically, this is true - the northern kingdom fell to Assyria in 722 BC, 136 before Judah fell in 586 BC. What was Judah response to seeing what happened to her sister? “she became more corrupt than her sister...” Judah saw but Judah disregarded this warning and went into even more sin. God has given us many examples, both good and bad. In Scripture. In our own lives. However, the important thing is what we do with the examples given to us. Will we learn or will we disregard to run after sin? Judah disregarded the example of Israel and was destroyed as a result. We see in Scripture, people who’s lives were ruined by the love of the world (money, pleasure, lust). We see the result of those people (and nations) who lived not for God, but for themselves. It does not end well in this life and in the life to come. The big question is: what is our response to the examples God has given to us?Will we listen and learn? Or disregard to our own destruction? Personally, I have been a spiritual adulterer in my own life and loved things more than God. I have loved sports more than God, other people more than God and loved money more than God just to name a few! Even in my new life in Jesus, there are temptations to love these things more than God. But, through the power of Christ in me, my commitment is to listen to the examples in Scripture and cast aside these worldly things and love God with everything I have!
I love today’s cross reference to Psalm 73. The tone-change in vs 17 is always so profound to me. “Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end”. Asaph found clarity in the presence of God, it caused him to take his gaze off the world and onto the spiritual. I have found this to be so true in my own life! When I start to compare a “pros and cons” list based on the external, on what I see, I have found my heart envious! Thoughts like, “What is it like to not have to die to yourself daily?”, “There’s so much pain involved in pursuing righteousness, wouldn’t it be so nice to pursue comfort and ease instead?”, “I feel weary of doing good!” But as soon as I take those thoughts to the presence of God, I have always found such restoration, correction, refreshment, and fuel! I know where those thoughts lead. I know their end game. I lived that life before Christ, I know it’s emptiness. Their prosperity is actually an evil master. They exchange comfort now for eternal destruction. The temporal happiness they experience is nothing compared to true joy! There is nowhere I would rather be, no matter the cost, then living for my Savior. Oh the sweetness of eternal life in the here and now that he provides- for better is ONE day in your courts, than a thousand elsewhere!!
“Therefore this says the Lord God: Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back, you yourself must bear the consequences of your lewdness and whoring.” ~Ez. 23:35 Every time I sin it’s because at that moment, I want something more than God. The biggest thing that comes to mind in my life is when through years of infertility and loss, I wanted children more than I wanted to know God more. I wanted the blessing of God, not the nearness of God. I was a believer at that time, but I was not abiding in Him. I wanted God for what he could give me. Such a prideful, selfish heart! This verse in Ezekiel 23 really stands out to me as a reminder of what I deserve- to bear the consequences of my lewdness and whoring- as contrasted to the mercy and grace God has given me instead. I’m so thankful that He saved me and that He has drawn me near to see His goodness. Even if God had never given me a child and if we had not experienced loss and tragedy, I now know that “The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks HIM.” ~Lamentations 3:25 “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good!” ~Psalm 34:8
I love Psalm 73!!! I discovered this passage when I was at a fork in the road - deciding whether I was going to pursue a career that would take up all of my time and energy or keep seeking first God and His Kingdom alone. There were definitely ways that I was enticed by my own desires to have money and be comfortable, to have a social status as a successful woman who manages and delegates important tasks that drive a business forward. BUT similar to the psalmist, when I went before the Lord I discerned the end. Pursuing anything other than God is going to lead me into a snowball of my own desires - where nothing satisfies and there is no end. What a dangerous place to be!! For me, it is GOOD to be near God!
“For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. With their idols they have committed adultery, and they have even offered up to them for food the children whom they had borne to me.” Ezekiel 23: 37 SOTD today had a good reminder of how idolatry is evil and wrong. Idolatry isn’t only idolizing a person, but can also be idolizing sins just like the example we have in Ezekiel 23 of her idolizing adulatory. I have the temptation to desire procrastination and sleep over waking up early and being fully alert to read God’s word and pray. However, I know my days will be all the more better if I engage in reading scripture and really dig into what God says rather than being sleepy and wanting to go back to bed.
Sotd was definitely interesting and very graphic today. One thing I noticed and kept thinking about was how the chapter shows so clearly that God is jealous! Verse 35 says that Jerusalem had to bear the consequences for their adultery because they had forgotten the Lord and cast him behind their back. It also mentioned how they had committed adultery with their idols, showing how they cheated on God, and that he has every right to be jealous for them! I also loved how Pastor Bobby talked about psalm 73, which I definitely relate to! It can be easy at times to see people living for the world and in sin and to start thinking that it looks easier, more fun, or like they’re getting away with whatever they do when in reality the Bible says, “How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors!” My prayer today is that we’d be faithful to the Lord in all that we do, and would not commit this adultery towards him by putting other things as more important, or wanting what the world has!
Whoa, I never saw my choices, my sins- pride, desiring an easy life, pursuit of worldy praise, as me picking them over God but just as a "strong work ethic". Praise God through discipline and patience He has shown Himself to me and is the Lord of the life He has given to me. -Rob.
God has always been in my life but not first. My husband and kids were first. 21 months ago I was suddenly separated from my husband and Covid has kept me distant from my kids and I now see how God is using this trial and time in my life to seek him first and foremost. I was committing spiritual adultery. I repent for lusting after something else rather than loving Him with all of my heart. I’m going to love God and I’m going to have a heart that’s true to Him. Thank you Lord for illuminating my understanding of the scriptures.
This chapter broke my heart for how God's people disregarded him. Then I applied it to my life and I felt so convicted! I never want to forget how God feels when we lust after the world.
My first thought on what I've put above God was my desire for sweets. Up until 5 weeks ago I was always looking for my next "fix." Instead of running to the Lord with problems I'd run to a candy dish, donut shop or dive into a scoop or two of ice cream. I realized last night that its easy for me to fall back into that temptation. I want God first in my life, to seek Him with my whole heart and not run to anyone or anything except Him first & foremost.
The sin of self importance is a constant temptation in my life. The desire to point out how other’s sin effects me and my life. It can spiral into anger, gossip, bitterness, and anxiety. All sins that God used to convict me that I wasn’t a saved person. Before repenting and turning to God, I couldn’t suffer personal injustice. If I had been wronged, that was unacceptable and I told myself and anyone who would listen, that I deserved better. But having been justified in Christ, I can be wise and not vent my feelings on the situation. Even being like Jesus to not say a word. I go to the Lord in prayer and meditate on his word until my pointy finger is back on myself. My temptation turns into confession over my lack of trust in him, my desire for a change of circumstances, and my quickness to think more highly of myself than I ought to. I am a sinner who deserves the full wrath of God and yet Jesus paid it all and ransomed my soul!
The stumbling block, the slippery slope that can lead to adultery against the Lord, is loosing focus on the Lord and eternity with Him and His heart to redeem the lost. I must acknowledge Him in all my ways, seeking His thoughts above my own thoughts and feelings, in His Word, in prayer and communion with His Body, His Church. At times I have lost sight of eternity and stumbled in my thinking by focusing on worldly issues and letting my feelings confuse the truth, but the truth always prevails when we seek the Lord first. I sought to see how the Lord was on my side of thinking but He is beyond my thinking and so much better. I am so thankful to the Lord that His Word is being preached so clearly and boldly to me and His church and for His Holy Spirit that brings understanding.
Oh Lord. You are enough for me. Let your portion be my satisfaction. I know how quickly I can put other things before God- neglecting my quiet time for that snooze button or even skipping it in the name of being a busy mom who ran out of time.
Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. - Psalm 73:25 When my heart is fixed on God’s goodness I will echo the psalm of Asaph! I’ve just been sitting here, thinking about this psalm. “There is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.” This isn’t some super spiritual Bible man that we can’t relate to or come to the same place where we’re able to claim this about ourselves. Asaph was tempted when he saw what the world was offering. It wasn’t until he looked to God that he could discern their end. It wasn’t until his heart and mind were set on the Lord that he could see the swift end of the wicked and the goodness of God. When I stop looking to God, when I forget his goodness or lose my zeal for his glory, I will fall into sin. We see this in David when he stopped going to war for God’s glory he found himself on a rooftop. I’ve been praying this morning that God would show me if there’s anything on earth that I desire besides him. What keeps me from abiding in him or neglecting the good works he has set before me. Keeping my eyes on the Lord today will keep them from looking to the world for satisfaction because in him is fullness of JOY!
When I was 18/19 years old, I thought I knew it all. Anyone else? Just me? When I was in my know-it-all and need-nothing-from-nobody way of life, I was so proud of all the things I could DO for myself. I had a job, I could pay for my own things. I had a car, I could take myself anywhere I wanted. I was an adult, I could have any kind of relationship in any way I wanted. No one could tell me no. And then, when I was 20 years old, it hit me. Life was not about ME. Life was not about my CHOICES. Life was about what GOD chose for me, and I needed to honor Him. I found out I was pregnant when I was 20, and from then on I didn't look back. I went both feet in to the water and I was even baptized then, too. It took some years to feel the full effect of God's redemption over my sin, but with maturing in Christ and really knowing His heart through the Scriptures, I was able to forgive myself as God had forgiven me. How does God feel about adultery? He feels angry. He feels disgusted. But He also feels sadness. He is sad to see the gap between Himself and me--between His mercy and my soul. He asks for obedience in exchange for closeness. And I shoot that down? I have better plans? I know more than he does? Ha. Hardly! I am so blessed to be able to look back and see over 15 years of God's mercy in my life instead of spending all that time continuing in my prideful sin.
For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. With their idols they have committed adultery, and they have even offered up to them for food the children whom they had borne to me. - Ezekiel 23:37 Man. This chapter was rough to read, but it gives me a very strong insight into the way God feels about idolatry. God views idolatry as adultery against Him, the cruelest form of betrayal that there is. I could not think of something that would hurt, and anger me more than if I knew my wife had been unfaithful to me with someone else. But that is exactly how God thinks about idolatry. God has held nothing back in our relationship with Him, He has given us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3) and has promised that He will be with us always (Matthew 28:20). He has proven His love even by dying for us to be His own (Romans 5:8), and He is rightfully jealous for His people. I’m really praying that I can take that to heart today, and beware of anything in my heart that would try to take Gods rightful place, to remove it root and branch, to secure my affection and devotion to the Lord. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. - 1 John 5:20-21
Man, I am so encouraged to read these comments today. So encouraged to see so many brothers and sisters getting real on here- I love it! Psalm 73 is a psalm that I too hold very close to me! It’s one I have to go to when I am tempted to think that anything is better than knowing the Lord and following him with all that I am and all that I have. I experience this temptation through sexual immorality and a desire for comfort. God has been incredibly kind and gracious to deliver me from my old pattern of sin, where before I knew him this ^^ was my life. I was defined by sexual immorality and doing what I wanted all the time. It was never about Christ. But glory be to Christ, for he opened my eyes and I can say, Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe. My heart has committed spiritual adultery while I’ve known him by giving into sexual temptation. I’m so tempted to think that it will satisfy me more than Christ, but oh how empty it leaves me and how much greater is Christ than ANYTHING. I have also seen my feet slip at the desire to have a comfortable life, to not be in any conflict or hard times. To listen to my emotions and do what I feel, not what I’m commanded. Once again- this is a broken cistern of desire that never satisfies me. I always feel worse than before. Praise God for being so kind to continually discipline me and show me what is true! For me, it is GOOD to be near God.
“Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back, you yourself must bear the consequences of your lewdness and whoring."” Ezekiel 23:35 It's easy to forget what God has done in our lives. We can get so caught up in the world around us that we forget God. In chapter 23 I was reminded to not forget all the good things God has done. How he saved my soul by sending his son to die for me so that I wouldn't be punished for my sin but live in righteousness because of Christ not because of anything I've done. How Christ has grown me in so many areas of my life. In prayer, in evangelism, in Bible reading. All of these are because of God not because of me. These are things that can be accomplished only by him! Praise the Lord for all he has done! Let's not forget God and cast him behind us but let's put him first! Let's put him before us so we can see and behold him in all of his glory!
In my college years I spent too much time living for self and neglecting God and his word. I occasionally attended church, but was not living my life for God. Praise the Lord that he is patient and merciful, and that he called me bAck unto himself. Now I miss God’s word if I don’t get it daily. Praise the Lord that he doesn’t let go of us even when we get distracted by worldly pleasures.
Wow, I can’t help but see how God takes sin personally. Idolatry is spiritual adultery in God’s eyes. Psalm 73 is also one of my favorite psalms to think about how I have been tempted to be envious of the ease of life and prosperity as it seems looking out at our world. I begin to look at their ease of life and the material things and compare it to following Christ and his call to deny yourself and take up your cross daily. When my focus is on the things of this world instead of things above, it can be a lot harder to think right thoughts! This is where so thankful for the true word and for a church who keeps the word the main thing. That is how I am brought back to why Jesus is better. He is MY good, and without him, I have no good. In the end those who love their things and live to please themselves will be swept away. But not so with those who seek His face and find refuge in Him!
While looking at my own heart after reading this chapter, I realized I spend a lot of time focusing on entertainment (tv shows, movies) rather than meditating on God's word and taking the time to memorize scripture so I can have his word on my heart all the time. Self examination is painful because when I do it, I get a glimpse into what God sees in me, especially regarding sin and I have work to do!
I don’t typically comment although I watch. Today I wanted to confess the sin of idolizing my children. Putting what they want and need before I read my Bible or sometimes even before I pray. I want my prayer time and quiet time to reflect how much I love the Lord and in a way it is. I am learning I need to get to know God better so I ordered a book recommended on a podcast PB did. That’s another confession, I haven’t been digging in it really get to know my Heavenly Father the way he knows me. Looking forward to getting to know the attributes of the Lord better. Thank you Jesus for saving me. Now I need to understand fully the depth of that love
The temptations to desire something other than God comes often. The question is not if I am tempted but do I give into those temptations. Unfortunately the answer is “yes” sometimes but I repent and reaffirm with Team Joshua that for me and my house we will serve the Lord.
Psalm 73 has been a favorite of mine since 2013! I specifically remember praying through this psalm. It reminded me of my absolute dependence on Christ! I’ve been tempted through distraction and the absolute nonsense the world, the way the secular world might prescribe how to deal with personal discontentment (love yourself they’d say) or an unhappy situation (consider the divorce rate in America for example, how people try to advance in their workplace, school, etc.). How true is it though “How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors! (Psalms 73:19, NASB)” So by Gods grace we can see what folly there really is in the world! I am so thankful that it is our Lord who guides and leads! I pray that we would be motivated to share the true gospel with a perishing world!
This chapter today hit home for me that my life before I repented and turned my life to God instead of the world. I was that adulteress that worshiped others and was so deep into my own sins that I hurt my God.. to know the Lord now and to be honest with him when I see my sins coming near I have to ask to God to strengthen me and cover me. THANK YOU FATHER AND THANK YOU SOTD FOR READING SCRIPTURE WITH US DAILY❤️🙏🏼🙌🏼
First off, IM SO EXCITED...well, always excited about SOTD, but I FINALLY was able to find my google account😃. Now I can always comment, and just in time for my mug😉👍. So...woooweee! Today’s chapter was very graphic, but that’s okay, because it’s an "In your face" description of the ugliness of sin😢! I never accounted the OT to be applicable until I started SOTD a while back in Kings. It’s SOOOO applicable to today and to me!!! What have I wanted more than God since becoming a Christian? Well, to be honest, there were times I wanted my ex fiancé back. When I became a Christian, I let go of our relationship. At times you look back at your sin and 🤔 think, oh gosh, I miss it. That’s a lie from the deceiver. It’s outside of what God says specifically not to do. I’ve truly let go now and I have joy and peace about it! I’m looking forward to my life with Him. I have the freedom to live for Him only! My children are grown and I’m 55. I’m unencumbered and have the unique opportunity to just serve Him!🥰 I’m so thankful to Him!
Ezekiel 23 was definitely a hard chapter to read, especially when you know that sin in all it’s depravity is still happening in our own lives and country. Looking back I wasn’t always thankful for all God has given me. I earned them and they were mine. I now thank God daily for his blessings and grace, I try to remember everything is from him and I want God to have all the glory. Lately I have been angry with what is going on and with people whom I know that are okay with and or promoting the sin that is in our culture. I want to focus on praying for them and not giving up on them. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26 The LORD is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in him. Lamentations 3:24
The more I see life from an eternal perspective, the more consistent I am in my walk with the Lord. When I look at just a day with no real perspective of what the Lord has for me in the future, self driven desires can push God’s wonderful plan from view. I praise God for sharing with me His eternal love, plan, and glory.
Prior to coming to Compass, I ignorantly thought that false idols were only statues or Gods and that idolatry was nowhere near my life...how wrong could I be! God was never my priority, not even close and I can see now how much that must have hurt him. The creator watching his creation ignore him and chase after desires of this world. My marriage, my wife, my career, money, sports, all were above our Lord and Savior and that was a huge awakening. Praying that I keep my eyes fixated on Him and not on the things of this world!
9 Therefore I delivered her into the hands of her lovers, into the hands of the Assyrians, after whom she lusted. - God gave his people what they desired and lusted after and that became the very thing that destroyed them. How true with our lives with sin. We pursue things that are not of God and even desire those things more than Him. Sad to even hear how they have forgotten Him and cast him behind their backs (35). Did I stop to think in those times how I treated God? Humbling passage to hear God's thoughts. Forgive us God for not putting you first, not making you our heart's desire and portion. Let your kindness lead us to repentance!
God despises adultery. He will not tolerate it. In Ezekiel 23 we see God‘s disdain for adultery and that being the reason that He is pouring out His wrath on His people. It makes sense that God would hate adultery because He has given His one and only Son to save His people. How terrible for us to put anything other than God first in our lives. I appreciated the encouragement to go and read Psalm 73 this morning. It was a great reminder to me that envying the wicked is fruitless. Instead I must love the Lord God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. In the past few years I confess that there have been multiple times where I have put my desire for improved health over the desire to know and love God more. This is so wrong! It is something that God has convicted me of multiple times and He is helping me to fight off the sin of putting my health before Him. God has given me multiple opportunities to show Him that He is the only thing in my life worth my worship. Anything else I pursue and trust in that is not God is a waste and is a direct offense to Him. I’m thankful for the reminder in today’s reading that God must be everything to me!
Wow, heavy chapter! But I’m reminded that spiritual unfaithfulness is equally graphic. Judah learned nothing from Israel’s punishment but surpassed it. I pray we learn from it. Let us also lay aside every sin which clings so closely and remove any foreign idols from our hearts. Help us LORD.
"But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end" (Psalm 73:16-17) Encouraged to pour my heart out to the Lord for all things. I'm tempted to try to distract myself with other things when I'm either stressed or something's weighing on my heart, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever! Let's lay aside our idols and run toward Him who is our strength!
I am so thankful that we are reading through Ezekiel and the prophets. This chapter was unexpected and quite convicting. I’m learning so much about God’s wrath/anger AND His faithfulness! “Thus will I put an end to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not commit lewdness as you have done.” Ezekiel 23:48
"And they shall return your lewdness upon you, and you shall bear the penalty for your sinful idolatry, and you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 23:49) That last verse really captures the essence of this passage. In the end, all adulterers who cheat on God will get punished and face His wrath. I definitely shudder to think of how intense and horrific his judgment will be on those who never repent from this. I know that it is easy for me to be spiritually adulterous when I can take a good gift that God has given, whether it is work, relationship, entertainment, etc. and then use that to prevent me from spending time with God! God really shows His immense patience with me by still keeping me alive and not responding in judgment instantly! I feel that Romans 2:4 really applies here, that God's kindness is meant to lead us to repentance! Therefore I am resolved to keep going on SOTD and make sure I spend time with God, by being in His Word and praying, not letting anything else get in the way of that!
I can say confidently that I desire to obey God and love God more than the world. Pleasing people rather than obeying God has been my temptation to commit spiritual adultery. Even in the momentary pleasure the world might offer, it always leaves you wanting more or feeling more empty. When I ran to Jesus I experienced the fullness of His life and a sense of purpose in my own. Praise the Lord that I am a child of God.
This is a very intense chapter! The deception of idolatry can be very apparent, or very subtle. I have remembered pastor Bobby referencing Psalm 73 and have on more than one occasion gone back to read this scripture in regard to idolatry. Thank the Lord that he circumcises our hearts when we may have wandered away. Idolatry is such a sin against God, because he is such a jealous God, and he is such a jealous God because he loves us so much and he gave his only son to cleanse us and save us from our sins. I pray that we love our lord Jesus more than anything else and that he is glorified in our lives.
“The sound of a carefree multitude was with her; and with men of the common sort, drunkards were brought from the wilderness; and they put bracelets on the hands of the women, and beautiful crowns on their heads.” Ezekiel 23:42 There word “carefree” stood out to me today in reading the chapter. In reading the abominations of the nation it reminded me of how carefree I used to live my life before! How careless I was living. How I didn’t consider any one besides myself and much less God! When I think of the word carefree, I think of a life without rules, I think of a life without a conscious, not being aware of the impact. I looked into this word further to see where else it was used in the Bible and dun dun dun! It is used in our cross reference for the day!! Psalm 73!! “And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High? Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.” Psalm 73:11-12 “Carefree” and “at ease” are the same word! And those are the wicked! I want to be far from lawlessness and I praise the Lord that he opened my eyes and has given me the power to live by his decrees and in them find fullness of joy!! I pray for discernment through the power of the Holy Spirit! Today my prayer is that of Paul’s! “And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:9-11
Difficult chapter today but necessary to read and understand how God hates adultery. It’s hard to think about how often I am unfaithful to God when He is always perfectly faithful to me. I can easily slip into the wrong way of thinking as Asaph did in Psalm 73. I start to turn my gaze from God and turn towards what others are doing. My struggle is to want a more comfortable “Christian” life, one that is not too challenging, costly or requires steps of faith. “For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning.” Psalm 73:14 I can relate to the Psalmist here, it is hard to be chastened and corrected. I can get weary of the pruning, the opposition and picking up my cross daily! I start to think maybe if I shrink back a bit the opposition and difficulty wouldn’t be so great. That is senseless thinking! Wanting to withdraw is loving myself more than God. If I love God then I will obey Him. If God is calling me to do something I won’t be happy doing anything else even if it is easier. “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.” Psalm 73:25 May God alone be the portion that I seek! Thankful for the exhortation to consider ways that I am unfaithful to God and how apathy and lack of obedience is putting my desires before God’s!
Reading today’s chapter and definitely seeing the comparison how America is today how Jesus is “proclaimed” in there life’s but not lived out in obedience, not just the lust, but self love for only them not others,separation among people, how much hurt I have for those who are still blind because that used to be me BUT that god would save those souls to show them that’s all emptiness and no fulfillment! But as seeing these temptations start creeping in my thoughts wouldn’t it just be easier to just follow my desires of flesh “care more for me” of things of these world rather then commandments of god, to put god less and me first I run to god knowing that nothing is better then abiding in him, my desires will only bring me to emptiness, but god lifts me up to a greater joy I praise him each day for saving my soul! but for me it is GOOD to be near GOD!
A very descriptive chapter on idolatry. It’s offensiveness gives us a glimpse into how God feels about it when we put anything else before Him. I had put my children in that place when they were young. I bore the consequences of that sin through God’s discipline. There I learned that NOTHING comes before the Lord!
Ezekiel 23 was another eye opening chapter & Psalm 73 was what our response should be. An idol is anything we put before God. It may come in the form of excessive eating, exercising too much or putting our kids first before God. I know I am guilty of a couple of those things listed. However, I am not who I once was and God continues to prune me like John 15:2 says, “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
“My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” - Psalm 73:26 The past year has revealed so much evil in my own heart, to see how I desire comfort above God, and would do what it took to get it. If my work felt too overwhelming, I’d run away, turn to distraction rather than live out what it looks like to trust in the Lord and persevere. “For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish” (Psalm 73:27) - my heart grew hardened against Christian brothers and sisters. There were times I returned to sin of sexual immorality. I grew angry against the Lord, and the more that I disobeyed, the more that I despaired because He still had not changed my life circumstances. I wanted comfort and gladness from my situation in life more than anything, more than I wanted God Himself. It surely looked like many of those who didn’t put their faith in Christ could make whatever decisions they wanted and have happiness. The devil does indeed prowl like a lion, looking for someone to devour, and it was all to easily to fall into despair night after night believing that God didn’t care, that things would always be like this, and that I was alone and my brothers and sisters in Christ would only chastise me and cast me away. But praise be to God that He HAS lifted me up out of the miry clay, that His Word softened my heart, that His love has proved steadfast, that He brought me to confess to sisters who in turn would pray with me and truly love me. My eyes were opened and I was shaken to see how easy it could have been to destroy my life by my own hand - the ONLY thing that sets me apart from anyone else is God’s counsel and His salvation. My life circumstances haven’t changed, but the grace of Christ has proved mighty and sufficient to hold me, His power perfected in weakness. He’s given me new light!
I remember when my friend in high school showed me Ezekiel 23, especially verses like 3, 8, 23, etc. We snickered at the thought of this stuff being in the Bible. We had absolutely no regard for the Holy Word of God, and we completely missed the point. It is so shameful when I remember back to that. And then I think about how much lust was in my heart back then, how much I was regularly drinking from the fountain of pornography, pride, selfishness, gluttony, worldly pleasures were my only true desire (although I didn’t realize this at the time)...all the while I would go to church on Sundays and Wednesdays, eventually even being a “leader” in the youth group. I would defile the sanctuary and profane the sabbath. I thank God daily that He rescued me from that, that I am no longer that person, but that I have been crucified and it is now Christ who lives in me. But I would be hiding the truth to say that I no longer commit adultery with my God, it is just in sneakier ways. Choosing my comfort over serving Him at times. Choosing to sleep in instead of getting up and getting into His Word some days. Avoiding hard conversations because they might be awkward and uncomfortable. I was convicted by last week’s sermon because it exposed that I am my own idol sometimes, and this makes me sick to think about. Oh LORD, forgive me for profaning your son’s precious blood, may I decrease in all ways, so that You may increase.
This chapter in Ezekiel was heavy and also a huge reminder of how much God hates it when I choose to set my heart on things other than Him and choose to sin. Also grateful for Pastor Bobby pointing us to Psalm 73! That the cure for spiritual adultery is to see things how God sees it and desire Him. There are a handful of ways that I've seen temptation and myself fall in spiritual adultery, but for me, one is in being envious of others' friendships and relationships and desiring that over finding my delight in my relationship with God. It's been a big temptation to see old high school friends, people at college, etc seem like they are having the time of their lives and have lots friends or are in a relationship. And yet, Asaph talks about how for him, "it is good to be near God;" (Psalm 73:28). That the relationship God has to offer is better than any other thing on earth! No sin or relationship would be better. I am going to be spending time tonight praying that God would search me and I would turn from any way that displeases him and that there would be nothing that I desire besides the Lord.
I have never read Ezekiel until now. Thank you for showing us the analogy between adultry with the two women and Judea and Jerusalem. It shows how much God hates adultery.
This chapter really showed me how people really disobey God and cast him out behind his back. Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back, you yourself must bear the consequences of your lewdness and whoring." - Ezekiel 23:35 We need to obey the Lord and all his commands!
Psa. 73:28 “ But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge...” on Valentines Day I expected a love talk and received a tongue lashing instead. I responded .. NOT wisely... and God corrected me. GOD is my refuge and comfort. I have lowered my expectation of humans and I look up to the Lord who loves me unconditionally... even when my heart is far from Him. Thank you Lord GOD ! ♥️
Verse 27 resonated most for me. "I will put an end to your lewdness and whoring" - And our compassionate God disciplines for a good purpose... "so that you shall not lift up your eyes to them or remember Egypt anymore." God is faithful in his disciplining. There can be no doubt but that "For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later yields the peaceful fruit or righteousness to those who have been trained by it." Heb. 12:11. So maturity comes with a trained and disciplined heart that's all about "forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. (Phil. 3:13) "Egypt" has no place in the heart of the Believer. I can relate to this...
1Corinthians 10:11, by reading 📚 the prophets the Lord has been increasing my understanding of Corinthians. Many times we just read, and wow about things that happened to others but like Pastor Bobby said this morning, examine yourself, I have been so bless with SOTD since the first time I saw the video John 18. May the Lord continues to strengthen the SOTD team to awake ⏰ us on the truth.
I’m not gonna lie, I tend to glaze over passages about adultery since I am not married, but! I have realized now, that these passages are specific analogies to the way we cheat on God. I’ve been thinking about the little ways too, the not so obvious sins. When I choose my own wisdom, my own comfort, my fear or worry or anxiety over the Lord, I am cheating on all that He has for me. He is my comfort, my wisdom. Trusting and relying on him will free me from my worry or fear or anxiety. Focusing on my relationship with him and not my relationship with myself will lead me to continue to chose Him over everything and in everything I do while living this life here on earth. 🙏🏼
This was a tough reading but the analogy is impactful. I am convicted of putting of this world before the Lord. My desire is to seek his kingdom first.
Wow Ezekiel chapter 23 does cut straight to the heart. I often wonder why people at church would avoid me sometimes but then I keep asking God to help me to examine my self and see if there is Spiritual adultery that is in my life. By God grace that he reveals that I do have spiritual adultery that I constantly fall into which is being Selfish and Pride. I am grateful and thankful for the brothers and sisters who was doing this because it causes me to look in the word of God for the answer. This reminds me of 2 Timothy 3:1 "1 But understand this, that in the last days there will comes times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. AVOID SUCH PEOPLE. Honesty when I read this verse, I realize how the brothers and sisters were doing that they were following the word of God. To be honest, I don't blame my brothers and sisters for doing that because they are following God word because the matter of the truth is, I am Selfish and Prideful and etc, it shows in my marriage and in my daily life. Everyday day I wake up, I always caught my self thinking about what should I do for that day for my self instead of Asking the Lord to guide, lead, direct me by his spirit to do his will and whatever brings him Glory each day that he gives me to live for him. It so encouraging how Pastors, brothers and sisters at this church is truly living out the word of God and yes I am not saying this church is perfect but I see it with my own eyes. Give all the Honor, Praise and Glory to our Heavenly Father, our Lord Jesus Christ and his Holy Spirit for his work that he is doing in Compass Bible Church. It truly is a blessings from the Lord that my wife and I are a part of the body of Christ at Compass Bible Church in HB. Heavenly Father, I come humbly come before you today in the Holy name of your Son Jesus Christ name to give you all the Praise and the Glory. You are the Lord of Lords, King of Kings, Holy and Righteous God. Holy Holy Holy, is you are our Lord God Almighty, who was and is to come. We lift up the Holy name of your son Jesus Christ name, the name above all names. Father I pray in your spirit according to your will that I wouldn't just say words that are meaningless but that I would be praying in your spirit. Father I confess that I am weak and that I need you Father, your Son Jesus Christ and your Holy Spirit every single day of my life. Help me to Deny my self and pick up my cross daily and follow your Son Jesus Christ is what your word says in Luke 9:23. That I would be willing to die and suffer for your sake. Father help me to long to be in your presence, long to love you and your commandments with all that I am, that I would long to wait for the return of your son Jesus Christ. Father I pray that I would lay down my life for this church, that I would truly love them and count them more important than my self. Father I pray that you would keep building your church, and I pray that bless all the Pastors, theirs wife, kids, families and all the brothers and sisters at Compass Bible HB and all the brothers and sisters around the world. Let the Gospel of your son Jesus Christ reign out to this nations and the whole world. Father fill every single one of us by your Spirit and use every single one of your people as your vessel to do your will. Father I am praying with faith, trust and believe in the Holy name of your son Jesus Christ name that your please provide a building and Parking Spaces for Compass Bible Church Long Beach according to your will and also raise up a Pastor that you choose for Compass Bible Church in Long Beach and leaders according to your will Father. Let your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it in Heaven. I pray this in the Holy name of your Son Jesus Christ we pray amen and Hallelujah!!!!!!!
“Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back, you yourself must bear the consequences of your lewdness and whoring.”” Ezekiel 23:35 “For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. With their idols they have committed adultery, and they have even offered up to them for food the children whom they had borne to me.” Ezekiel 23:37 Our sins and abominations are adultery against God. It is so easy to read through the prophets and see the problems of the nations. We recognize the idolatry is evil and is going to lead to a terrible punishment. We see the evil of the nations. But this chapter makes it so clear exactly what this evil actually is. This evil is like committing adultery against a husband who is faithful and good. It is like seeking out anyone else but your husband. We know and can recognize this on a deeper level than ever before because this is so clearly wrong. This is so disgusting that it would appall us to see it written down in a book or talked about in any way. Yet this is the same that is practiced every single day whenever anyone puts anything above God. This chapter makes it so clear what sinning actually is against God. Sinning is disgusting and something that is very serious. We take sin and idolatry specifically way too lightly. We act like its no big deal to just say a little white lie or to put something over God. When really it is so terrible. We need to take sin so much more seriously. We need to see sin the way God sees sin “but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.” Isaiah 59:2
Thank you Pastor Bobby for SOTD...your commentaries (and sermons) have been such a blessing. Pride takes many forms and I personally have to constantly check my heart to ensure my thoughts and actions are driven out of my love for and dependence on Christ rather than self. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. - 1 Corinthians 10:12.
Like many of you are saying, this chapter was very hard to read. It broke my heart to think that our holy Lord had to use such unholy language to describe his people. It is how he saw me before he saved me and even when I thought I was saved. Praise God for his mercy! Although I would now say with Asaph, "but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever," I struggle on a daily basis to keep my job off of the throne of my heart. As a teacher it is so easy to let this job consume me. I literally have to ask God to kick my job off of his throne! Jesus, you are before all things and in you all things hold together (Col 1:17). Thank you for holding me together.
Before Salvation this was me totally that I was giving myself up for pleasures of this world and in that on my way to destruction. Just as the nations of Judea and Samaria I was only worshiping myself and my pleasures and was empty. I Praise The Lord for not giving me the judgment that I deserved, instead He called me to be His own. We see not only America, but the entire world whoring after itself and wanting to seek only themselves and their personal desires. It’s heartbreaking to see. Our call is to proclaim the Gospel to all the nations, Praying for the Revival for our community, Nation and World before it is too late and judgement comes.
Ezekiel 23:11 ““Her sister Oholibah saw this, and she became more corrupt than her sister in her lust and in her whoring, which was worse than that of her sister.” This stood out to me because sin spreads to other people and tempts them to sin as well. As Christians we are set apart, but this means we also need to live the “set apart life” that God commands us to live.
I have always found wisdom and comfort in Psalm 73. Upon reading it again today. verses 6-10 seems to describe the culture here in the USA and California: (6)"Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment. (7)Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies. (8)They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression. (9)They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongues struts through the earth. (10) Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them. THIS "CANCEL CULTURE" will be cancelled by GOD! May our loving Father hold us close to him and keeps us from these abominations.
Today’s chapter was so intense yet so convicting. The verses that stood out to me were: “Thus will I put an end to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not commit lewdness as you have done.” Ezekiel 23:48 “For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.” Psalm 73:27-28 My heart mourns over the abominations that happened then, and that are happening now in this world. We are surrounded by so much sin, and the world just wants every bit of it. Psalm 73 really convicted me as well. The past four years I continued living in sin, I looked for other things to fill me and satisfy me. I made the world my God. I started to somewhat get into the new age/crystal movement and actually thought that maybe these crystals actually have healing powers....and now that I have turned away from that and turned to Him, my heart finally feels satisfies because He is the one who satisfies and is the ultimate healer. My heart is mourning over the men and women who have fallen into these ways as well my own heart for that short time. My prayer is that we would be a reflection of the gospel to all those we encounter so they too can encounter Jesus!💛
I can relate to Psalm 73 when he writes “I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked”. I went through a time recently where it seemed that if I acted like the “wicked”, I would have been much more “prosperous”. I am working on praying for strength to “be near God” and “make the Lord God my refuge”. Then truly believe that will lead to the deepest and most everlasting joy. Thank you for posting these videos!!
"Whom Do I Have In Heaven But You"? When we stop focusing on God, the World can look tempting. When Peter took his eyes off Jesus he saw the waves and began going under!! Thank You, Pastor Bobby and Everyone behind the scenes at SOTD!! You are helping me keep my eyes on Jesus, and OFF Of The Waves!!
Good morning from -10 degrees in Kansas. As I read Ezekiel this morning, I kept thinking that this doesn’t pertain to me. And then I read Psalm 73 and it shed new light on spiritual sin. I am made new in Christ and yet the world still has a hold on me. I want acceptance, material things, to be right and the list goes on. Forgive me Father. I want more of you and less of me!!! Being near to God is my good! He is my refuge, my strength and my portion forever. 💕🙏
Time for confession! I’ve committed the grave sin of adultery with the Lord- I wanted to fill my heart with every kind of novel and tv show, fill my mind with stories of fantasy and adventure and romance instead of allowing myself to be satisfied with the greatest story ever told. Not to say that a little entertainment is a bad thing, but the worthless things consumed me. I tried using fantasy to escape from my burdens when I should have been casting those burdens on the Lord. This chapter makes it so shockingly clear how the Lord feels about loving other things more than him, and the punishment for adultery is severe. Another Psalm I’ve been reading that has been a huge encouragement and reminder to me to obey is Psalm 16. "“The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips. The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.” Psalm 16:4-6 ESV
Amen Sister! I am with you there. Growing up watching Disney fairytales have warped my thinking that "one day my prince will come" so I should wait on him. I forget that our heavenly Father asks us to wait on him and has an everlasting love for us. He is "the same yesterday and today and forever. We will never or should never doubt his love for us.
This was a really hard chapter to read, just how graphic (and a disgusting picture of sin in our lives of lust!) but it definitely rang true of “There are no bad chapters”!!!! The verse that stuck out to me the most was v 48-49 “48Thus will I put an end to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not commit lewdness as you have done.49And they shall return your lewdness upon you, and you shall bear the penalty for your sinful idolatry, and you shall know that I am the Lord God.” May we all remember not to put anything above God, as we remember God will do as He says!
Psalm 73:25-26 is our guide. There is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
“ But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.” Psalm73:28 I commit spiritual adultery when I do not put God first and try to handle things on my own. Verse 29 of Ezekiel 23 tells us the shame of our “prostitution” will be exposed to the world. That is not what I want others to see in my life. Praying today that people will see Christ in my words and actions, not my sinful nature.
Today’s scripture was very hard to read, thinking about the sin that was committed. I can easily fall into the sin of comparison and wanting something that I don’t have and I have to catch myself and be so thankful for all that the Lord has blessed me with. I love the cross reference from Psalm 73 and it also reminded me of Psalm 111, and how great the works of the Lord are. I pray that I would be a woman who is consumed with all of God and not this world because “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise ensures forever.”
As I read this I have to admit that I have chosen sin over God at times in my life. And I also see the sins of America that we as a nation have not only committed but also have exported around the world. I pray for repentance and revival in our churches and our country before it is too late.
Ralfs comment. Those who trust in themselves, in wealth and possessions are living in a Dream World which is only in their own mind. They will awaken someday and realize the reality of Gods Truth, hopefully before it’s to late to Repent and turn to God.
The wicked in Psalm 73 mock Yahweh saying in v11, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the most high?” ... but in Psalm 139:2-3, it says, “You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.” I also mocked God for many years of my adult life when I doubted the revelation of God’s word in Scripture. I read a lot of books about the Bible without reading the Bible. I wanted to be one of the wise of this world, the scribe, or the debater of this age as described by Paul in 1 Cor 1:20. The Bible tells us that God chooses souls that are foolish according to worldly standards ... or the weak ... or the ones that are low or despised (1 Cor 1:26-28). My soul belonged with those described in 1 Cor 1:26-28. The Holy Spirit Illuminated the truth and light of God’s word to me when I actually read and studied what it said. Imagine that! The word of the cross became the power of God to save because God pursued me through his words. Now I cannot get enough! Thank you Compass HB for challenging us to study through the Old Covenant! #followtheprophecy
I must confess that as I read thru today's SOTD, I thought to myself, "surely I'm not nearly as terrible as either of the sisters written of". However, I was quickly convicted that there is the physical sin of adultery and the spiritual sin of adultery (not putting God first in everything)...and in light of Ps 73, at times, I too fall very short. I loved verse 25 of Ps 73, "Whom have I in heaven but you?" The second half of the verse, "And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you." By God's grace, I'm a work in progress.
I have definitely had times where I have thought like Asaph .. that what the world is doing looks better.... It’s always in times where I am not reading my Bible daily and really getting on to the secret place that those thoughts creep in. But, then I remember the eternal perspective. The world has nothing because they don’t have God. Everything the world loves for will soon pass away. With God... we have everything that we need. We have hope, we have grace, we have mercy, and we can trust That God is in control and that gives us peace.
Thank you Pastor Bobby for cross-reference Psalm 73. It’s so good! 👍 “When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast towards you. Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.” (Psalm 73:21-24) Beast: there is no concept of eternity. They live their life for momentary pleasures, satisfying natural urges. When we forget about eternity, we are truly like an animal before God! Sometimes I have lived up to my emotions, there are so many temptations around and have prevented me from remembering God's words, because I have placed myself on Him! But praise God, for He will never forsake me. He has always reminded me and is with me! Because He wants to prove that my soul has been saved by precious blood of Christ. That I am definitely different from animals! And I can no longer live on myself or on others but on Him alone! He guide me with His counsel, and afterwards He will receive me to glory!!
The fall of Judah into sin: To see: V. 11, 14, 19 To consider desirable: V. 12, 21 To lust after V. 12, 16, 40 To send for V. 16, 40 To act V. 17, 13, 14 To bear the penalty: V. 25, 30, 35, 49 The account of the chosen people Judah’s sin repulses me. But this is how God sees all sin against him. Though their sins are extensive and graphic against our God, their fall into sin has the same progression as ANYONE. In fact, it seems identical to the account of King David’s sin with Bathsheba (even this man after God’s own heart had the potential to sin when he lets his desires for something other than God to go unchecked). 2Sa 11:2-4 2 It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king's house, that he SAW from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very BEAUTIFUL. 3 And David sent and INQUIRED about the woman. And one said, "Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" 4 So David SENT messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. May I not be too proud to see I was also born a sinner, and that I have the potential to commit great sin against my holy God. May grace teach me to be more sensitive about the sin in my life so that I can through the spirit catch it while it is young. “Lead us not into temptation” I pray, and “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” These are two verses I want to pray through today to ask God to keep me from sin even at its earliest moments of birth in my heart. Temptation comes from within! Therefore God, please conform my heart to yours! Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! Hebrews 3:12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.
Since this was my first time reading this chapter most of the verses made me go “oh no no no”, because of how disheartening they were. But the verses that caught my attention were the last two verses 48-49. What caught my attention is that it seems like a warning to everyone who can hear and listen, “Do NOT idolize, because you WILL then receive the wrath of God”. It was overall an intense chapter.
I was very recently putting greed before god. When this Wall Street deal started happening I was on my phone several times a day, reading all the forums and comments, lusting after the potential for quick money. But I wasn’t reading my word. I put my greed before god and when I realized I though: “When was the last time I had this kind of zeal for my word and my god?” It happens so quickly and easily in this day, the distractions come at us like electronic billboards in the night. I am so grateful for our lord and his grace. 🙏
I find myself not content with the career God has blessed me with. I do not wake up in the morning thinking how can I serve God to win souls. My concern is focused on making more money and how can I change jobs. Jealousy fills my heart when I hear of my friends and colleagues that are doing financially better than I am. “For I was envious of the boastful, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” Ps. 73:3
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back, you yourself must bear the consequences of your lewdness and whoring." - Ezekiel 23:35 Sometimes it’s easy to forget about what God has done for us, but that is awfully wrong. He has sent his Son Jesus Christ to die for us and sometimes we just push it to the back of our minds in conversation because we don’t want to get made fun of. 32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. - Matthew 10:32-33 Edit: I have often desired to choose the sin laziness over God. Watching a movie instead of praying or sleeping instead of reading. But ultimately God is so much better than any movie or extra hour of sleep!!!
“And they shall return your lewdness upon you, and you shall bear the penalty for your sinful idolatry, and you shall know that I am the Lord God.”” Ezekiel 23:49 Praying that the Lord would reveal to me anything I am putting above Him. Confessing pride, anxiousness, and selfishness. Lord give me your eyes to see, that I may do your work, I want to be in obedience with the scriptures and Gods desire for my thoughts and actions. “Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:23-26 Grateful to our Lord and savior beyond words, I want to live in gratitude and obedience so God truly knows my heart is for Him above all else, it’s nothing I can do apart from Him.
We are never free from temptation or thinking something other than God will be more fulfilling. However as I age and am less enticed by what the world has to offer there is still the issues of my heart. My issue is that my heart and mind can wander from pure thoughts. What we think matters and what our heart wants matters to God. There is no substitute or anything more fulfilling than knowing God approves.
Wow praise God. I can confess today that I used to be enslaved to sexual immorality. I can say with an honest conscience today that I used to be stuck in this sin, unable to really say no to it... "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--." (Ephesians 2:4-5) I give glory to none other than JESUS CHRIST this morning, who brought me out of my spiritual adultery, my idolatry, and my immorality! I offered God **nothing**, and yet still he gave me everything! He withheld nothing from me, not even the life of his one and only son. Praise God for the freedom that comes from knowing Christ!
Ezekiel 23:38-39 [38] Moreover, this they have done to me: they have defiled my sanctuary on the same day and profaned my Sabbaths.[39] For when they had slaughtered their children in sacrifice to their idols, on the same day they came into my sanctuary to profane it. And behold, this is what they did in my house. Psalms 73:16-17 [16] But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, [17] until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. The adulterers use God's sanctuary for idol worship and their lustful desires. They defile it and profane God's sabbaths. Asaph enters God's sanctuary seeking wisdom and discernment as to why the wicked prosper. In the end they bear the penalty for their sinful idolatry and know the Yahweh is the LORD. Asaph finds encouragement, understanding, and strength and knows that Yahweh is the LORD. Psalms 73:25-26 [25] Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. [26] My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Right at this moment in my life having to really face that I have lived over 40 years in an adulterous relationship with an illness instead of 100% putting ALL my trust with it in God’s hands. Allowing Him to handle all the side affects I live with. I have allowed the enemy to lie to me instead of really listening and paying attention to the one Who truly loves me for me. I have always felt that God had my full attention but I’m admitting right now that God wasn’t and hasn’t had All of me. I placed the illness between God and I. I now understand that if I see any of my grown children make their choices which are lies of the enemy and their accepting it .I have my own lies I have believed and need to confess to God and ask His forgiveness. Adultery becomes an idol in people’s lives. It breaks relationships, is painful and separates us from what God has had for us. Confessing and repentance leads to forgiveness that leads us to a New life and relationship with the one that has truly loved us in all our circumstances. He always was waiting.
Psalm 73: 22-26 in verse 23 it says Yet I still belong to you!!! After everything we make of our lives the Truth prevails we always belonged to Him that fact never ended. He was always there.
I was the woman of Ezekiel 23. I lusted for human gratification and acceptance from the people of this world more than a relationship with God. The delight of my heart was not the Lord. I was my idol and my god, and I was caught in the sin of pride. I wanted the control and the glory. I thought I could satisfy my heart, but the Lord alone does that. The Lord is my portion and strength! He satisfies my heart!
Ezekiel 23:29 reminded me of 8:12 ... the nakedness of their whoring (idolatry) would be uncovered, as Babylon destroyed the city everyone would know what the elders of Jerusalem worshipped in the dark. God saw it all along! Yet his people said in Psalm 73:11, How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High? God sees my sin too, although it’s hidden from everyone else. And I am so grateful that he disciplines me as a child he loves. Today, Psalm 73:17 jumped out at me, “until I went to the sanctuary of God” because it wasn’t until the last couple of years that I took the secret place seriously. I didn’t understand the power and refreshment and wisdom and renewing available there, that were mine for the taking. During those two years, he brought hard trials that brought me to my knees and taught me how foolish and prideful I was to think that I could do anything on my own, John 15:4-5. Now I look forward to the secret place as the best part of my day, praise the Lord! Psalm 73:23-28 Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strengthfn of my heart and my portion forever. For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.
Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. - Psalm 73:23-26 Living in Orange County and seeing all the “wealth” around us it is very easy to want to live in that house or drive that car or take that vacation. When all I need is God and His word. I am blessed beyond measure that God saved me from my sin and the destruction that was to follow.
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My path to idolatry begins by seeing things in the world that I don’t have and desire. While this may be an unintentional thought that pops up, the moment I fail to combat the thought with truth, the farther I continue on the path towards idolatry.
Psalm 16:2- “I say to the LORD, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.’”
I must combat these thoughts with the truth! No good is apart from God! Whatever satisfaction is "promised" by the desire is a mirage.
The way which we ought to read chapters like these is similar to James 1:22-25. Instead of saying “that could never be me,” we should realize we’re looking into a mirror and see a picture traced out that could easily be us. For without my Savior I am a hopeless and wretched sinner. Therefore reading this convicts me of the depths of my sin and heightens my hearts worship to God for paying for it on the cross. Yet, I know my flesh is still prone to wander and need to continually repent.
Lord my heart is prone to wander, yea I feel it. In my heart I have treasured other things greater than you. I have gone to other things for deliverance in times of hardship rather than going to you, my Deliverer. Father, forgive me of this idolatry I have committed as I let other things get in the way of my relationship with you. Forgive me of my selfishness, my pride, and my folly. For I have fallen short of loving you with all my heart, soul, and might. Let my worship to you be by the Spirit who dwells in me. May I live and walk by him. May your name be glorified by my hearts intent continually.
O how wretched we are, broken and hopelesss; how much we need the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ezekiel 23:39 - For when they had slaughtered their children in sacrifice to their idols, on the same day they came into my sanctuary to profane it. And behold, this is what they did in my house.
I don’t know that I’ve ever consciously thought, “wow! That’s better than God! I want that!” But I have certainly put one specific sin before God. I used to have a problem with alcohol- specifically wine. I would drink several glasses every evening, and justify it by telling myself that it wasn’t hurting anyone. I wasn’t drinking and driving. I wasn’t going out to bars. I wasn’t lusting after other men. Besides, Jesus turned water into wine so it isn’t really a sin. Praise the Lord that I was convicted of this sin. I have repented. I no longer touch any kind of alcohol. I am clear headed and focused on God. Now I spend every morning in prayer and studying scripture, instead of trying to recover from the previous evenings indulgence. “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit” Ephesians 5:18
Wow, this is a very intense chapter. Even at my age in the stage of my life I blush when I read things such as this. I think we have to continually think about what idolatry is... Putting *anything* before our desire for God. And that deception comes in many forms. I pray that as God's children, that we truly love God more than anything else. I have seen things in life and how idolatry can creep into hearts. Do we have sincerity with words but not in action or attitude of the heart ? I have remembered that pastor Bobby has referenced Psalm 73 and have read it when I needed to be reminded again to see the emptiness in worldly things. Unfortunately I have seen that there is pride for some with worldly possessions like expensive houses, cars, clothes, and money in the bank that blinds many believers. I am certain that we have all been a victim to idolatry to some degree, at one point or another. But thankfully the Lord circumcises our hearts and opens our eyes to his truth. And at times I have gone back and read Psalm 73 just for that reason of remembering that no matter what experiences or possessions that any of us have on this Earth that we must remember..."but as for me, it is good to be near god. I have made The sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds." Psalm 73;28.
Wow thanks for sharing. I can relate! I was also convicted of this sin too!! Praise a good, he is good! I no longer drink...instead I find comfort and satisfaction in God and run to him in prayer! I alway think of the verse “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8
“ spiritual adultery is a common temptation for all of us at this church”
Ezekiel 23, Psalm 73 and Pastor Bobby spoke the truth today and it hurts! Reflecting on my own heart and life it’s sad to say but I am tempted with and even fall into spiritual adultery. It hurts to know that’s true but it is. God has instructed me on how to live and he says “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” I spent a long time thinking about this and come up with this simple truth. If I know God’s commandments and I break them because of a desire for something else it’s an idol and an act of spiritual adultery.
Plain and simple here are ways I am tempted or fall into spiritual adultery.
1. Desiring money, comfort and a life of ease. This one is one that I have to fight everyday! I know God’s way are better than worldly wealth! I know the narrow road is hard but better because it leads to him! I must always remind myself that God is better than all things because daily the world is trying to convince me other wise!
2. Making my kids and idol. Until recently I wouldn’t have said this was an idol in my life. But after reading Ezekiel 16 I realized if someone hurts my kids I get angry and want to “defend” them, but it’s sin and I am breaking God’s law! That means they are an idol in my life.
3. The idol of self is evident by the times I do not forgive fully or quickly. Again, until Ezekiel 16 I would have thought I conquered this area of my life but I realized in my heart I still hold a grudge. This is a stupid sin! I know how perfect God’s judgment is. And I know whether on the cross or in hell all sin will be judged! I also know my little grudge does not need to be added to God’s judgment, but I do it for what reason? To please my idol? This is sinful and disgusting!
Will spend the day apologizing to God and praying for victory over these sins!
“When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.”
Psalm 73:21-22
It is easy to look back on how I lived before God saved me and identify my sins (which were many)... pride, idolizing my children, alcoholism, profanity, gossip - All the while calling myself a Christian.
My biggest challenge since He saved me four years ago is to be vigilant and aware of falling into sins that are much more “subtle.” My flesh still wants to be friends with the world. At home in my personal “bubble” that is easy! At work, it is a constant battle. My natural desire to want to be “liked” and to fit in goes directly against living in a way that is above reproach - not laughing at crude jokes, not participating in inappropriate conversations...
James 4:4 - “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
God has sustained me in this, but it is a daily temptation and cause for me to pray before each shift. He is so good to answer my prayers!
It's definitely easy to read a chapter like this and think to myself, "Thankful I was never that bad!" Or even, "I will never ever be like them", even though 1 Corinthians 10 tells us not to be proud but instead take heed while we are standing in the Lord.
Before I was saved I was like Oholibah. Since being saved I have had moments in which I chased the things I used to, but I hated what I used to love and repented of that. I have had many MORE moments of being like Asaph, where I said with my lips "surely God is good", but in my heart I started to think, "All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence."
Specifically, I think of my last on-campus semester at California State University, Long Beach in 2019. I remember that I had made some friends in my classes who professed Christ but didn't live like Christians. They were popular and fit in with the world, and part of me wanted that. I also was single at that time and I wanted God to make me more of a man, but some Proverbs 5 type ladies were coming to me out of nowhere! So I have these fake Christians wanting me to join them in their worldliness, and even other unforeseen temptations coming up, but all the while I wanted to be a true man of God and grow in Christ.
Honestly, like Asaph, I really wrestled with wanting the world.
But through prayer, confession, and some great encouragement from some amazing brothers, I was soon after these temptations able to say with Asaph, "Truly you set them in slippery places", and, "Whom have I in Heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you."
The words of Peter in John 6 shall ever ring true to me when the world beckons with its poison hand:
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
Today’s chapter was eye opening and requires one to reflect on “cheating on God.” The adultery of Samaria and Jerusalem made me think of the parallels to our nation. I think back to the election and how there was a political movement unlike any we have seen before - “America First.” I wonder what our Lord thought of this? Today I am praying for another movement, that our nation can experience a revival unlike any other - “God First.”
"But righteous men shall pass judgment on them with the sentence of adulteresses, and with the sentence of women who shed blood, because they are adulteresses, and blood is on their hands.”
- Ezekiel 23:45
This chapter made it very clear just how seriously God takes sin. How much God hates it when someone turns to these abominations instead of Him. But the righteous person has power to overcome these temptations. The righteous person has the strength to overcome these evils!
"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."
- 1 Corinthians 10:13
Through the power of Christ we can overcome even the hardest of temptations! God will always provide a way of escape, but we can't just say we believe that and overcome sin, we have to put our trust in it. We have to store up the scripture in our hearts to see victory over sin!
"How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you."
- Psalm 119:9-11
How can I keep my way pure? By storing up the scripture in my heart. I'm reminded of Jesus in Matthew 4. Jesus was tempted by Satan 3 different times, but He didn't give in. He used the word of the Lord to combat temptation! We need to do that same thing! We need to be ready for any and every temptation that could be thrown our way and prepared to overcome it with scripture! Praying that we would be a people that bring Christ glory in the way that we live and that we would be completely set apart from sin!
““Her sister Oholibah saw this, and she became more corrupt than her sister in her lust and in her whoring, which was worse than that of her sister.”
-Ezekiel 23:11
In Ezekiel 23, we have a graphic chapter about the unfaithfulness of the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah depicted as two sisters. It struck me that at the verse beginning of verse 11, before the wickedness of Judah is described, we have these words “Her sister Oholibah saw this”. Judah saw what happened to the northern kingdom of Israel. Historically, this is true - the northern kingdom fell to Assyria in 722 BC, 136 before Judah fell in 586 BC. What was Judah response to seeing what happened to her sister? “she became more corrupt than her sister...” Judah saw but Judah disregarded this warning and went into even more sin.
God has given us many examples, both good and bad. In Scripture. In our own lives. However, the important thing is what we do with the examples given to us. Will we learn or will we disregard to run after sin? Judah disregarded the example of Israel and was destroyed as a result. We see in Scripture, people who’s lives were ruined by the love of the world (money, pleasure, lust). We see the result of those people (and nations) who lived not for God, but for themselves. It does not end well in this life and in the life to come. The big question is: what is our response to the examples God has given to us?Will we listen and learn? Or disregard to our own destruction?
Personally, I have been a spiritual adulterer in my own life and loved things more than God. I have loved sports more than God, other people more than God and loved money more than God just to name a few! Even in my new life in Jesus, there are temptations to love these things more than God. But, through the power of Christ in me, my commitment is to listen to the examples in Scripture and cast aside these worldly things and love God with everything I have!
I love today’s cross reference to Psalm 73. The tone-change in vs 17 is always so profound to me. “Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end”. Asaph found clarity in the presence of God, it caused him to take his gaze off the world and onto the spiritual. I have found this to be so true in my own life! When I start to compare a “pros and cons” list based on the external, on what I see, I have found my heart envious! Thoughts like, “What is it like to not have to die to yourself daily?”, “There’s so much pain involved in pursuing righteousness, wouldn’t it be so nice to pursue comfort and ease instead?”, “I feel weary of doing good!” But as soon as I take those thoughts to the presence of God, I have always found such restoration, correction, refreshment, and fuel! I know where those thoughts lead. I know their end game. I lived that life before Christ, I know it’s emptiness. Their prosperity is actually an evil master. They exchange comfort now for eternal destruction. The temporal happiness they experience is nothing compared to true joy! There is nowhere I would rather be, no matter the cost, then living for my Savior. Oh the sweetness of eternal life in the here and now that he provides- for better is ONE day in your courts, than a thousand elsewhere!!
“Therefore this says the Lord God: Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back, you yourself must bear the consequences of your lewdness and whoring.” ~Ez. 23:35
Every time I sin it’s because at that moment, I want something more than God.
The biggest thing that comes to mind in my life is when through years of infertility and loss, I wanted children more than I wanted to know God more. I wanted the blessing of God, not the nearness of God. I was a believer at that time, but I was not abiding in Him. I wanted God for what he could give me. Such a prideful, selfish heart!
This verse in Ezekiel 23 really stands out to me as a reminder of what I deserve- to bear the consequences of my lewdness and whoring- as contrasted to the mercy and grace God has given me instead. I’m so thankful that He saved me and that He has drawn me near to see His goodness. Even if God had never given me a child and if we had not experienced loss and tragedy, I now know that “The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks HIM.” ~Lamentations 3:25
“Oh taste and see that the Lord is good!” ~Psalm 34:8
Psalm 73:21-22 describes me!
“When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.”
I love Psalm 73!!! I discovered this passage when I was at a fork in the road - deciding whether I was going to pursue a career that would take up all of my time and energy or keep seeking first God and His Kingdom alone. There were definitely ways that I was enticed by my own desires to have money and be comfortable, to have a social status as a successful woman who manages and delegates important tasks that drive a business forward. BUT similar to the psalmist, when I went before the Lord I discerned the end. Pursuing anything other than God is going to lead me into a snowball of my own desires - where nothing satisfies and there is no end. What a dangerous place to be!! For me, it is GOOD to be near God!
“For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. With their idols they have committed adultery, and they have even offered up to them for food the children whom they had borne to me.”
Ezekiel 23: 37
SOTD today had a good reminder of how idolatry is evil and wrong. Idolatry isn’t only idolizing a person, but can also be idolizing sins just like the example we have in Ezekiel 23 of her idolizing adulatory. I have the temptation to desire procrastination and sleep over waking up early and being fully alert to read God’s word and pray. However, I know my days will be all the more better if I engage in reading scripture and really dig into what God says rather than being sleepy and wanting to go back to bed.
Sotd was definitely interesting and very graphic today. One thing I noticed and kept thinking about was how the chapter shows so clearly that God is jealous! Verse 35 says that Jerusalem had to bear the consequences for their adultery because they had forgotten the Lord and cast him behind their back. It also mentioned how they had committed adultery with their idols, showing how they cheated on God, and that he has every right to be jealous for them! I also loved how Pastor Bobby talked about psalm 73, which I definitely relate to! It can be easy at times to see people living for the world and in sin and to start thinking that it looks easier, more fun, or like they’re getting away with whatever they do when in reality the Bible says, “How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors!” My prayer today is that we’d be faithful to the Lord in all that we do, and would not commit this adultery towards him by putting other things as more important, or wanting what the world has!
Whoa, I never saw my choices, my sins- pride, desiring an easy life, pursuit of worldy praise, as me picking them over God but just as a "strong work ethic". Praise God through discipline and patience He has shown Himself to me and is the Lord of the life He has given to me. -Rob.
Psalm 73:26 - “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” God, you are my rock!
God has always been in my life but not first. My husband and kids were first. 21 months ago I was suddenly separated from my husband and Covid has kept me distant from my kids and I now see how God is using this trial and time in my life to seek him first and foremost. I was committing spiritual adultery. I repent for lusting after something else rather than loving Him with all of my heart. I’m going to love God and I’m going to have a heart that’s true to Him. Thank you Lord for illuminating my understanding of the scriptures.
This chapter broke my heart for how God's people disregarded him. Then I applied it to my life and I felt so convicted! I never want to forget how God feels when we lust after the world.
My first thought on what I've put above God was my desire for sweets. Up until 5 weeks ago I was always looking for my next "fix." Instead of running to the Lord with problems I'd run to a candy dish, donut shop or dive into a scoop or two of ice cream. I realized last night that its easy for me to fall back into that temptation. I want God first in my life, to seek Him with my whole heart and not run to anyone or anything except Him first & foremost.
The sin of self importance is a constant temptation in my life. The desire to point out how other’s sin effects me and my life. It can spiral into anger, gossip, bitterness, and anxiety. All sins that God used to convict me that I wasn’t a saved person. Before repenting and turning to God, I couldn’t suffer personal injustice. If I had been wronged, that was unacceptable and I told myself and anyone who would listen, that I deserved better. But having been justified in Christ, I can be wise and not vent my feelings on the situation. Even being like Jesus to not say a word. I go to the Lord in prayer and meditate on his word until my pointy finger is back on myself. My temptation turns into confession over my lack of trust in him, my desire for a change of circumstances, and my quickness to think more highly of myself than I ought to. I am a sinner who deserves the full wrath of God and yet Jesus paid it all and ransomed my soul!
The stumbling block, the slippery slope that can lead to adultery against the Lord, is loosing focus on the Lord and eternity with Him and His heart to redeem the lost. I must acknowledge Him in all my ways, seeking His thoughts above my own thoughts and feelings, in His Word, in prayer and communion with His Body, His Church. At times I have lost sight of eternity and stumbled in my thinking by focusing on worldly issues and letting my feelings confuse the truth, but the truth always prevails when we seek the Lord first. I sought to see how the Lord was on my side of thinking but He is beyond my thinking and so much better. I am so thankful to the Lord that His Word is being preached so clearly and boldly to me and His church and for His Holy Spirit that brings understanding.
Oh Lord. You are enough for me. Let your portion be my satisfaction. I know how quickly I can put other things before God- neglecting my quiet time for that snooze button or even skipping it in the name of being a busy mom who ran out of time.
Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. - Psalm 73:25
When my heart is fixed on God’s goodness I will echo the psalm of Asaph!
I’ve just been sitting here, thinking about this psalm. “There is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.” This isn’t some super spiritual Bible man that we can’t relate to or come to the same place where we’re able to claim this about ourselves.
Asaph was tempted when he saw what the world was offering. It wasn’t until he looked to God that he could discern their end. It wasn’t until his heart and mind were set on the Lord that he could see the swift end of the wicked and the goodness of God.
When I stop looking to God, when I forget his goodness or lose my zeal for his glory, I will fall into sin. We see this in David when he stopped going to war for God’s glory he found himself on a rooftop.
I’ve been praying this morning that God would show me if there’s anything on earth that I desire besides him. What keeps me from abiding in him or neglecting the good works he has set before me.
Keeping my eyes on the Lord today will keep them from looking to the world for satisfaction because in him is fullness of JOY!
When I was 18/19 years old, I thought I knew it all. Anyone else? Just me? When I was in my know-it-all and need-nothing-from-nobody way of life, I was so proud of all the things I could DO for myself. I had a job, I could pay for my own things. I had a car, I could take myself anywhere I wanted. I was an adult, I could have any kind of relationship in any way I wanted. No one could tell me no. And then, when I was 20 years old, it hit me. Life was not about ME. Life was not about my CHOICES. Life was about what GOD chose for me, and I needed to honor Him. I found out I was pregnant when I was 20, and from then on I didn't look back. I went both feet in to the water and I was even baptized then, too. It took some years to feel the full effect of God's redemption over my sin, but with maturing in Christ and really knowing His heart through the Scriptures, I was able to forgive myself as God had forgiven me. How does God feel about adultery? He feels angry. He feels disgusted. But He also feels sadness. He is sad to see the gap between Himself and me--between His mercy and my soul. He asks for obedience in exchange for closeness. And I shoot that down? I have better plans? I know more than he does? Ha. Hardly! I am so blessed to be able to look back and see over 15 years of God's mercy in my life instead of spending all that time continuing in my prideful sin.
For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. With their idols they have committed adultery, and they have even offered up to them for food the children whom they had borne to me. - Ezekiel 23:37
Man. This chapter was rough to read, but it gives me a very strong insight into the way God feels about idolatry. God views idolatry as adultery against Him, the cruelest form of betrayal that there is. I could not think of something that would hurt, and anger me more than if I knew my wife had been unfaithful to me with someone else. But that is exactly how God thinks about idolatry. God has held nothing back in our relationship with Him, He has given us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3) and has promised that He will be with us always (Matthew 28:20). He has proven His love even by dying for us to be His own (Romans 5:8), and He is rightfully jealous for His people. I’m really praying that I can take that to heart today, and beware of anything in my heart that would try to take Gods rightful place, to remove it root and branch, to secure my affection and devotion to the Lord.
20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. - 1 John 5:20-21
Man, I am so encouraged to read these comments today. So encouraged to see so many brothers and sisters getting real on here- I love it!
Psalm 73 is a psalm that I too hold very close to me! It’s one I have to go to when I am tempted to think that anything is better than knowing the Lord and following him with all that I am and all that I have.
I experience this temptation through sexual immorality and a desire for comfort. God has been incredibly kind and gracious to deliver me from my old pattern of sin, where before I knew him this ^^ was my life. I was defined by sexual immorality and doing what I wanted all the time. It was never about Christ. But glory be to Christ, for he opened my eyes and I can say, Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe.
My heart has committed spiritual adultery while I’ve known him by giving into sexual temptation. I’m so tempted to think that it will satisfy me more than Christ, but oh how empty it leaves me and how much greater is Christ than ANYTHING. I have also seen my feet slip at the desire to have a comfortable life, to not be in any conflict or hard times. To listen to my emotions and do what I feel, not what I’m commanded. Once again- this is a broken cistern of desire that never satisfies me. I always feel worse than before. Praise God for being so kind to continually discipline me and show me what is true!
For me, it is GOOD to be near God.
“Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back, you yourself must bear the consequences of your lewdness and whoring."”
Ezekiel 23:35
It's easy to forget what God has done in our lives. We can get so caught up in the world around us that we forget God. In chapter 23 I was reminded to not forget all the good things God has done. How he saved my soul by sending his son to die for me so that I wouldn't be punished for my sin but live in righteousness because of Christ not because of anything I've done. How Christ has grown me in so many areas of my life. In prayer, in evangelism, in Bible reading. All of these are because of God not because of me. These are things that can be accomplished only by him! Praise the Lord for all he has done!
Let's not forget God and cast him behind us but let's put him first! Let's put him before us so we can see and behold him in all of his glory!
In my college years I spent too much time living for self and neglecting God and his word. I occasionally attended church, but was not living my life for God. Praise the Lord that he is patient and merciful, and that he called me bAck unto himself. Now I miss God’s word if I don’t get it daily. Praise the Lord that he doesn’t let go of us even when we get distracted by worldly pleasures.
Wow, I can’t help but see how God takes sin personally. Idolatry is spiritual adultery in God’s eyes. Psalm 73 is also one of my favorite psalms to think about how I have been tempted to be envious of the ease of life and prosperity as it seems looking out at our world. I begin to look at their ease of life and the material things and compare it to following Christ and his call to deny yourself and take up your cross daily. When my focus is on the things of this world instead of things above, it can be a lot harder to think right thoughts!
This is where so thankful for the true word and for a church who keeps the word the main thing. That is how I am brought back to why Jesus is better. He is MY good, and without him, I have no good. In the end those who love their things and live to please themselves will be swept away. But not so with those who seek His face and find refuge in Him!
While looking at my own heart after reading this chapter, I realized I spend a lot of time focusing on entertainment (tv shows, movies) rather than meditating on God's word and taking the time to memorize scripture so I can have his word on my heart all the time. Self examination is painful because when I do it, I get a glimpse into what God sees in me, especially regarding sin and I have work to do!
I don’t typically comment although I watch. Today I wanted to confess the sin of idolizing my children. Putting what they want and need before I read my Bible or sometimes even before I pray.
I want my prayer time and quiet time to reflect how much I love the Lord and in a way it is. I am learning I need to get to know God better so I ordered a book recommended on a podcast PB did. That’s another confession, I haven’t been digging in it really get to know my Heavenly Father the way he knows me. Looking forward to getting to know the attributes of the Lord better. Thank you Jesus for saving me. Now I need to understand fully the depth of that love
The temptations to desire something other than God comes often. The question is not if I am tempted but do I give into those temptations. Unfortunately the answer is “yes” sometimes but I repent and reaffirm with Team Joshua that for me and my house we will serve the Lord.
Psalm 73 has been a favorite of mine since 2013! I specifically remember praying through this psalm. It reminded me of my absolute dependence on Christ!
I’ve been tempted through distraction and the absolute nonsense the world, the way the secular world might prescribe how to deal with personal discontentment (love yourself they’d say) or an unhappy situation (consider the divorce rate in America for example, how people try to advance in their workplace, school, etc.).
How true is it though “How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors! (Psalms 73:19, NASB)”
So by Gods grace we can see what folly there really is in the world!
I am so thankful that it is our Lord who guides and leads! I pray that we would be motivated to share the true gospel with a perishing world!
This chapter today hit home for me that my life before I repented and turned my life to God instead of the world. I was that adulteress that worshiped others and was so deep into my own sins that I hurt my God.. to know the Lord now and to be honest with him when I see my sins coming near I have to ask to God to strengthen me and cover me. THANK YOU FATHER AND THANK YOU SOTD FOR READING SCRIPTURE WITH US DAILY❤️🙏🏼🙌🏼
First off, IM SO EXCITED...well, always excited about SOTD, but I FINALLY was able to find my google account😃. Now I can always comment, and just in time for my mug😉👍.
So...woooweee! Today’s chapter was very graphic, but that’s okay, because it’s an "In your face" description of the ugliness of sin😢! I never accounted the OT to be applicable until I started SOTD a while back in Kings. It’s SOOOO applicable to today and to me!!!
What have I wanted more than God since becoming a Christian? Well, to be honest, there were times I wanted my ex fiancé back. When I became a Christian, I let go of our relationship. At times you look back at your sin and 🤔 think, oh gosh, I miss it. That’s a lie from the deceiver. It’s outside of what God says specifically not to do. I’ve truly let go now and I have joy and peace about it! I’m looking forward to my life with Him. I have the freedom to live for Him only! My children are grown and I’m 55. I’m unencumbered and have the unique opportunity to just serve Him!🥰 I’m so thankful to Him!
@christine woohoo! You’re able to access sotd! Praise God of all He’s done in you and is teaching you ... it’s amazing to see! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻❤️
@@leetawilhite8405 thank you Leeta lady! In part it is from your patience and loving guidance! Love you bunches💞
Ezekiel 23 was definitely a hard chapter to read, especially when you know that sin in all it’s depravity is still happening in our own lives and country.
Looking back I wasn’t always thankful for all God has given me. I earned them and they were mine. I now thank God daily for his blessings and grace, I try to remember everything is from him and I want God to have all the glory. Lately I have been angry with what is going on and with people whom I know that are okay with and or promoting the sin that is in our culture.
I want to focus on praying for them and not giving up on them.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26
The LORD is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in him. Lamentations 3:24
The more I see life from an eternal perspective, the more consistent I am in my walk with the Lord. When I look at just a day with no real perspective of what the Lord has for me in the future, self driven desires can push God’s wonderful plan from view. I praise God for sharing with me His eternal love, plan, and glory.
Prior to coming to Compass, I ignorantly thought that false idols were only statues or Gods and that idolatry was nowhere near my life...how wrong could I be! God was never my priority, not even close and I can see now how much that must have hurt him. The creator watching his creation ignore him and chase after desires of this world. My marriage, my wife, my career, money, sports, all were above our Lord and Savior and that was a huge awakening.
Praying that I keep my eyes fixated on Him and not on the things of this world!
9 Therefore I delivered her into the hands of her lovers, into the hands of the Assyrians, after whom she lusted. - God gave his people what they desired and lusted after and that became the very thing that destroyed them. How true with our lives with sin. We pursue things that are not of God and even desire those things more than Him. Sad to even hear how they have forgotten Him and cast him behind their backs (35). Did I stop to think in those times how I treated God? Humbling passage to hear God's thoughts. Forgive us God for not putting you first, not making you our heart's desire and portion. Let your kindness lead us to repentance!
God despises adultery. He will not tolerate it.
In Ezekiel 23 we see God‘s disdain for adultery and that being the reason that He is pouring out His wrath on His people. It makes sense that God would hate adultery because He has given His one and only Son to save His people. How terrible for us to put anything other than God first in our lives. I appreciated the encouragement to go and read Psalm 73 this morning. It was a great reminder to me that envying the wicked is fruitless. Instead I must love the Lord God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. In the past few years I confess that there have been multiple times where I have put my desire for improved health over the desire to know and love God more. This is so wrong! It is something that God has convicted me of multiple times and He is helping me to fight off the sin of putting my health before Him. God has given me multiple opportunities to show Him that He is the only thing in my life worth my worship. Anything else I pursue and trust in that is not God is a waste and is a direct offense to Him. I’m thankful for the reminder in today’s reading that God must be everything to me!
Wow, heavy chapter! But I’m reminded that spiritual unfaithfulness is equally graphic. Judah learned nothing from Israel’s punishment but surpassed it.
I pray we learn from it. Let us also lay aside every sin which clings so closely and remove any foreign idols from our hearts. Help us LORD.
"But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end" (Psalm 73:16-17)
Encouraged to pour my heart out to the Lord for all things. I'm tempted to try to distract myself with other things when I'm either stressed or something's weighing on my heart, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever! Let's lay aside our idols and run toward Him who is our strength!
I am so thankful that we are reading through Ezekiel and the prophets. This chapter was unexpected and quite convicting. I’m learning so much about God’s wrath/anger AND His faithfulness!
“Thus will I put an end to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not commit lewdness as you have done.” Ezekiel 23:48
"And they shall return your lewdness upon you, and you shall bear the penalty for your sinful idolatry, and you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 23:49)
That last verse really captures the essence of this passage. In the end, all adulterers who cheat on God will get punished and face His wrath. I definitely shudder to think of how intense and horrific his judgment will be on those who never repent from this.
I know that it is easy for me to be spiritually adulterous when I can take a good gift that God has given, whether it is work, relationship, entertainment, etc. and then use that to prevent me from spending time with God! God really shows His immense patience with me by still keeping me alive and not responding in judgment instantly! I feel that Romans 2:4 really applies here, that God's kindness is meant to lead us to repentance!
Therefore I am resolved to keep going on SOTD and make sure I spend time with God, by being in His Word and praying, not letting anything else get in the way of that!
I can say confidently that I desire to obey God and love God more than the world. Pleasing people rather than obeying God has been my temptation to commit spiritual adultery. Even in the momentary pleasure the world might offer, it always leaves you wanting more or feeling more empty. When I ran to Jesus I experienced the fullness of His life and a sense of purpose in my own. Praise the Lord that I am a child of God.
Right there with you! Pastor Bobby recently reminded us that God’s love language is OBEDIENCE!
This is a very intense chapter! The deception of idolatry can be very apparent, or very subtle. I have remembered pastor Bobby referencing Psalm 73 and have on more than one occasion gone back to read this scripture in regard to idolatry. Thank the Lord that he circumcises our hearts when we may have wandered away. Idolatry is such a sin against God, because he is such a jealous God, and he is such a jealous God because he loves us so much and he gave his only son to cleanse us and save us from our sins. I pray that we love our lord Jesus more than anything else and that he is glorified in our lives.
“The sound of a carefree multitude was with her; and with men of the common sort, drunkards were brought from the wilderness; and they put bracelets on the hands of the women, and beautiful crowns on their heads.”
Ezekiel 23:42
There word “carefree” stood out to me today in reading the chapter. In reading the abominations of the nation it reminded me of how carefree I used to live my life before! How careless I was living. How I didn’t consider any one besides myself and much less God!
When I think of the word carefree, I think of a life without rules, I think of a life without a conscious, not being aware of the impact.
I looked into this word further to see where else it was used in the Bible and dun dun dun! It is used in our cross reference for the day!! Psalm 73!!
“And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High? Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.”
Psalm 73:11-12
“Carefree” and “at ease” are the same word! And those are the wicked! I want to be far from lawlessness and I praise the Lord that he opened my eyes and has given me the power to live by his decrees and in them find fullness of joy!! I pray for discernment through the power of the Holy Spirit!
Today my prayer is that of Paul’s!
“And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”
Philippians 1:9-11
Difficult chapter today but necessary to read and understand how God hates adultery. It’s hard to think about how often I am unfaithful to God when He is always perfectly faithful to me.
I can easily slip into the wrong way of thinking as Asaph did in Psalm 73. I start to turn my gaze from God and turn towards what others are doing. My struggle is to want a more comfortable “Christian” life, one that is not too challenging, costly or requires steps of faith.
“For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning.” Psalm 73:14
I can relate to the Psalmist here, it is hard to be chastened and corrected. I can get weary of the pruning, the opposition and picking up my cross daily! I start to think maybe if I shrink back a bit the opposition and difficulty wouldn’t be so great.
That is senseless thinking! Wanting to withdraw is loving myself more than God. If I love God then I will obey Him. If God is calling me to do something I won’t be happy doing anything else even if it is easier.
“Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.”
Psalm 73:25
May God alone be the portion that I seek!
Thankful for the exhortation to consider ways that I am unfaithful to God and how apathy and lack of obedience is putting my desires before God’s!
Reading today’s chapter and definitely seeing the comparison how America is today how Jesus is “proclaimed” in there life’s but not lived out in obedience, not just the lust, but self love for only them not others,separation among people, how much hurt I have for those who are still blind because that used to be me BUT that god would save those souls to show them that’s all emptiness and no fulfillment!
But as seeing these temptations start creeping in my thoughts wouldn’t it just be easier to just follow my desires of flesh “care more for me” of things of these world rather then commandments of god, to put god less and me first I run to god knowing that nothing is better then abiding in him, my desires will only bring me to emptiness, but god lifts me up to a greater joy I praise him each day for saving my soul! but for me it is GOOD to be near GOD!
A very descriptive chapter on idolatry. It’s offensiveness gives us a glimpse into how God feels about it when we put anything else before Him.
I had put my children in that place when they were young. I bore the consequences of that sin through God’s discipline. There I learned that NOTHING comes before the Lord!
Ezekiel 23 was another eye opening chapter & Psalm 73 was what our response should be.
An idol is anything we put before God. It may come in the form of excessive eating, exercising too much or putting our kids first before God. I know I am guilty of a couple of those things listed. However, I am not who I once was and God continues to prune me like John 15:2 says, “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
“My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” - Psalm 73:26
The past year has revealed so much evil in my own heart, to see how I desire comfort above God, and would do what it took to get it. If my work felt too overwhelming, I’d run away, turn to distraction rather than live out what it looks like to trust in the Lord and persevere. “For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish” (Psalm 73:27) - my heart grew hardened against Christian brothers and sisters. There were times I returned to sin of sexual immorality. I grew angry against the Lord, and the more that I disobeyed, the more that I despaired because He still had not changed my life circumstances. I wanted comfort and gladness from my situation in life more than anything, more than I wanted God Himself. It surely looked like many of those who didn’t put their faith in Christ could make whatever decisions they wanted and have happiness. The devil does indeed prowl like a lion, looking for someone to devour, and it was all to easily to fall into despair night after night believing that God didn’t care, that things would always be like this, and that I was alone and my brothers and sisters in Christ would only chastise me and cast me away. But praise be to God that He HAS lifted me up out of the miry clay, that His Word softened my heart, that His love has proved steadfast, that He brought me to confess to sisters who in turn would pray with me and truly love me. My eyes were opened and I was shaken to see how easy it could have been to destroy my life by my own hand - the ONLY thing that sets me apart from anyone else is God’s counsel and His salvation. My life circumstances haven’t changed, but the grace of Christ has proved mighty and sufficient to hold me, His power perfected in weakness. He’s given me new light!
🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
I remember when my friend in high school showed me Ezekiel 23, especially verses like 3, 8, 23, etc. We snickered at the thought of this stuff being in the Bible. We had absolutely no regard for the Holy Word of God, and we completely missed the point. It is so shameful when I remember back to that. And then I think about how much lust was in my heart back then, how much I was regularly drinking from the fountain of pornography, pride, selfishness, gluttony, worldly pleasures were my only true desire (although I didn’t realize this at the time)...all the while I would go to church on Sundays and Wednesdays, eventually even being a “leader” in the youth group. I would defile the sanctuary and profane the sabbath. I thank God daily that He rescued me from that, that I am no longer that person, but that I have been crucified and it is now Christ who lives in me.
But I would be hiding the truth to say that I no longer commit adultery with my God, it is just in sneakier ways. Choosing my comfort over serving Him at times. Choosing to sleep in instead of getting up and getting into His Word some days. Avoiding hard conversations because they might be awkward and uncomfortable. I was convicted by last week’s sermon because it exposed that I am my own idol sometimes, and this makes me sick to think about. Oh LORD, forgive me for profaning your son’s precious blood, may I decrease in all ways, so that You may increase.
This chapter in Ezekiel was heavy and also a huge reminder of how much God hates it when I choose to set my heart on things other than Him and choose to sin. Also grateful for Pastor Bobby pointing us to Psalm 73! That the cure for spiritual adultery is to see things how God sees it and desire Him.
There are a handful of ways that I've seen temptation and myself fall in spiritual adultery, but for me, one is in being envious of others' friendships and relationships and desiring that over finding my delight in my relationship with God. It's been a big temptation to see old high school friends, people at college, etc seem like they are having the time of their lives and have lots friends or are in a relationship. And yet, Asaph talks about how for him, "it is good to be near God;" (Psalm 73:28). That the relationship God has to offer is better than any other thing on earth! No sin or relationship would be better. I am going to be spending time tonight praying that God would search me and I would turn from any way that displeases him and that there would be nothing that I desire besides the Lord.
I have never read Ezekiel until now. Thank you for showing us the analogy between adultry with the two women and Judea and Jerusalem. It shows how much God hates adultery.
This chapter really showed me how people really disobey God and cast him out behind his back.
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back, you yourself must bear the consequences of your lewdness and whoring." - Ezekiel 23:35
We need to obey the Lord and all his commands!
Psa. 73:28 “ But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge...” on Valentines Day I expected a love talk and received a tongue lashing instead. I responded .. NOT wisely... and God corrected me. GOD is my refuge and comfort. I have lowered my expectation of humans and I look up to the Lord who loves me unconditionally... even when my heart is far from Him. Thank you Lord GOD ! ♥️
Verse 27 resonated most for me. "I will put an end to your lewdness and whoring" - And our compassionate God disciplines for a good purpose... "so that you shall not lift up your eyes to them or remember Egypt anymore." God is faithful in his disciplining. There can be no doubt but that "For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later yields the peaceful fruit or righteousness to those who have been trained by it." Heb. 12:11. So maturity comes with a trained and disciplined heart that's all about "forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. (Phil. 3:13)
"Egypt" has no place in the heart of the Believer. I can relate to this...
This chapter is so painful for me. Thank you PB. I have chased idols instead of God for much of my life.
1Corinthians 10:11, by reading 📚 the prophets the Lord has been increasing my understanding of Corinthians. Many times we just read, and wow about things that happened to others but like Pastor Bobby said this morning, examine yourself, I have been so bless with SOTD since the first time I saw the video John 18. May the Lord continues to strengthen the SOTD team to awake ⏰ us on the truth.
I’m not gonna lie, I tend to glaze over passages about adultery since I am not married, but! I have realized now, that these passages are specific analogies to the way we cheat on God. I’ve been thinking about the little ways too, the not so obvious sins. When I choose my own wisdom, my own comfort, my fear or worry or anxiety over the Lord, I am cheating on all that He has for me. He is my comfort, my wisdom. Trusting and relying on him will free me from my worry or fear or anxiety. Focusing on my relationship with him and not my relationship with myself will lead me to continue to chose Him over everything and in everything I do while living this life here on earth. 🙏🏼
This was a tough reading but the analogy is impactful. I am convicted of putting of this world before the Lord. My desire is to seek his kingdom first.
Wow Ezekiel chapter 23 does cut straight to the heart. I often wonder why people at church would avoid me sometimes but then I keep asking God to help me to examine my self and see if there is Spiritual adultery that is in my life. By God grace that he reveals that I do have spiritual adultery that I constantly fall into which is being Selfish and Pride. I am grateful and thankful for the brothers and sisters who was doing this because it causes me to look in the word of God for the answer. This reminds me of 2 Timothy 3:1 "1 But understand this, that in the last days there will comes times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. AVOID SUCH PEOPLE.
Honesty when I read this verse, I realize how the brothers and sisters were doing that they were following the word of God. To be honest, I don't blame my brothers and sisters for doing that because they are following God word because the matter of the truth is, I am Selfish and Prideful and etc, it shows in my marriage and in my daily life. Everyday day I wake up, I always caught my self thinking about what should I do for that day for my self instead of Asking the Lord to guide, lead, direct me by his spirit to do his will and whatever brings him Glory each day that he gives me to live for him. It so encouraging how Pastors, brothers and sisters at this church is truly living out the word of God and yes I am not saying this church is perfect but I see it with my own eyes. Give all the Honor, Praise and Glory to our Heavenly Father, our Lord Jesus Christ and his Holy Spirit for his work that he is doing in Compass Bible Church. It truly is a blessings from the Lord that my wife and I are a part of the body of Christ at Compass Bible Church in HB.
Heavenly Father, I come humbly come before you today in the Holy name of your Son Jesus Christ name to give you all the Praise and the Glory. You are the Lord of Lords, King of Kings, Holy and Righteous God. Holy Holy Holy, is you are our Lord God Almighty, who was and is to come. We lift up the Holy name of your son Jesus Christ name, the name above all names. Father I pray in your spirit according to your will that I wouldn't just say words that are meaningless but that I would be praying in your spirit. Father I confess that I am weak and that I need you Father, your Son Jesus Christ and your Holy Spirit every single day of my life. Help me to Deny my self and pick up my cross daily and follow your Son Jesus Christ is what your word says in Luke 9:23. That I would be willing to die and suffer for your sake. Father help me to long to be in your presence, long to love you and your commandments with all that I am, that I would long to wait for the return of your son Jesus Christ. Father I pray that I would lay down my life for this church, that I would truly love them and count them more important than my self. Father I pray that you would keep building your church, and I pray that bless all the Pastors, theirs wife, kids, families and all the brothers and sisters at Compass Bible HB and all the brothers and sisters around the world. Let the Gospel of your son Jesus Christ reign out to this nations and the whole world. Father fill every single one of us by your Spirit and use every single one of your people as your vessel to do your will. Father I am praying with faith, trust and believe in the Holy name of your son Jesus Christ name that your please provide a building and Parking Spaces for Compass Bible Church Long Beach according to your will and also raise up a Pastor that you choose for Compass Bible Church in Long Beach and leaders according to your will Father. Let your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it in Heaven. I pray this in the Holy name of your Son Jesus Christ we pray amen and Hallelujah!!!!!!!
“Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back, you yourself must bear the consequences of your lewdness and whoring.””
Ezekiel 23:35
“For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. With their idols they have committed adultery, and they have even offered up to them for food the children whom they had borne to me.”
Ezekiel 23:37
Our sins and abominations are adultery against God. It is so easy to read through the prophets and see the problems of the nations. We recognize the idolatry is evil and is going to lead to a terrible punishment. We see the evil of the nations. But this chapter makes it so clear exactly what this evil actually is. This evil is like committing adultery against a husband who is faithful and good. It is like seeking out anyone else but your husband. We know and can recognize this on a deeper level than ever before because this is so clearly wrong. This is so disgusting that it would appall us to see it written down in a book or talked about in any way. Yet this is the same that is practiced every single day whenever anyone puts anything above God.
This chapter makes it so clear what sinning actually is against God. Sinning is disgusting and something that is very serious. We take sin and idolatry specifically way too lightly. We act like its no big deal to just say a little white lie or to put something over God. When really it is so terrible. We need to take sin so much more seriously. We need to see sin the way God sees sin
“but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.”
Isaiah 59:2
Thank you Pastor Bobby for SOTD...your commentaries (and sermons) have been such a blessing. Pride takes many forms and I personally have to constantly check my heart to ensure my thoughts and actions are driven out of my love for and dependence on Christ rather than self.
Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. - 1 Corinthians 10:12.
Whenever life became tough, when I was focusing on, loving something other than God..
Like many of you are saying, this chapter was very hard to read. It broke my heart to think that our holy Lord had to use such unholy language to describe his people. It is how he saw me before he saved me and even when I thought I was saved. Praise God for his mercy! Although I would now say with Asaph, "but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever," I struggle on a daily basis to keep my job off of the throne of my heart. As a teacher it is so easy to let this job consume me. I literally have to ask God to kick my job off of his throne! Jesus, you are before all things and in you all things hold together (Col 1:17). Thank you for holding me together.
Before Salvation this was me totally that I was giving myself up for pleasures of this world and in that on my way to destruction. Just as the nations of Judea and Samaria I was only worshiping myself and my pleasures and was empty. I Praise The Lord for not giving me the judgment that I deserved, instead He called me to be His own.
We see not only America, but the entire world whoring after itself and wanting to seek only themselves and their personal desires. It’s heartbreaking to see. Our call is to proclaim the Gospel to all the nations, Praying for the Revival for our community, Nation and World before it is too late and judgement comes.
Ezekiel 23:11 ““Her sister Oholibah saw this, and she became more corrupt than her sister in her lust and in her whoring, which was worse than that of her sister.” This stood out to me because sin spreads to other people and tempts them to sin as well. As Christians we are set apart, but this means we also need to live the “set apart life” that God commands us to live.
Love this bro! As followers of Christ we have not only been forgiven of sin, but we have been called to live set apart from sin!!
Yes brother! So awesome to see you on here!
I have always found wisdom and comfort in Psalm 73. Upon reading it again today. verses 6-10 seems to describe the culture here in the USA and California: (6)"Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment. (7)Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies. (8)They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression. (9)They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongues struts through the earth. (10) Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them. THIS "CANCEL CULTURE" will be cancelled by GOD! May our loving Father hold us close to him and keeps us from these abominations.
Good morning and thanks and blessings to pastor and the team 🙏
Today’s chapter was so intense yet so convicting. The verses that stood out to me were:
“Thus will I put an end to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not commit lewdness as you have done.”
Ezekiel 23:48
“For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.”
Psalm 73:27-28
My heart mourns over the abominations that happened then, and that are happening now in this world. We are surrounded by so much sin, and the world just wants every bit of it.
Psalm 73 really convicted me as well. The past four years I continued living in sin, I looked for other things to fill me and satisfy me. I made the world my God. I started to somewhat get into the new age/crystal movement and actually thought that maybe these crystals actually have healing powers....and now that I have turned away from that and turned to Him, my heart finally feels satisfies because He is the one who satisfies and is the ultimate healer. My heart is mourning over the men and women who have fallen into these ways as well my own heart for that short time. My prayer is that we would be a reflection of the gospel to all those we encounter so they too can encounter Jesus!💛
I can relate to Psalm 73 when he writes “I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked”. I went through a time recently where it seemed that if I acted like the “wicked”, I would have been much more “prosperous”.
I am working on praying for strength to “be near God” and “make the Lord God my refuge”. Then truly believe that will lead to the deepest and most everlasting joy.
Thank you for posting these videos!!
"Whom Do I Have In Heaven But You"? When we stop focusing on God, the World can look tempting. When Peter took his eyes off Jesus he saw the waves and began going under!! Thank You, Pastor Bobby and Everyone behind the scenes at SOTD!! You are helping me keep my eyes on Jesus, and OFF Of The Waves!!
Good morning from -10 degrees in Kansas. As I read Ezekiel this morning, I kept thinking that this doesn’t pertain to me. And then I read Psalm 73 and it shed new light on spiritual sin. I am made new in Christ and yet the world still has a hold on me. I want acceptance, material things, to be right and the list goes on. Forgive me Father. I want more of you and less of me!!! Being near to God is my good! He is my refuge, my strength and my portion forever. 💕🙏
Time for confession! I’ve committed the grave sin of adultery with the Lord- I wanted to fill my heart with every kind of novel and tv show, fill my mind with stories of fantasy and adventure and romance instead of allowing myself to be satisfied with the greatest story ever told. Not to say that a little entertainment is a bad thing, but the worthless things consumed me. I tried using fantasy to escape from my burdens when I should have been casting those burdens on the Lord. This chapter makes it so shockingly clear how the Lord feels about loving other things more than him, and the punishment for adultery is severe. Another Psalm I’ve been reading that has been a huge encouragement and reminder to me to obey is Psalm 16.
"“The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips. The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.”
Psalm 16:4-6 ESV
Amen Sister! I am with you there. Growing up watching Disney fairytales have warped my thinking that "one day my prince will come" so I should wait on him. I forget that our heavenly Father asks us to wait on him and has an everlasting love for us. He is "the same yesterday and today and forever. We will never or should never doubt his love for us.
This was a really hard chapter to read, just how graphic (and a disgusting picture of sin in our lives of lust!) but it definitely rang true of “There are no bad chapters”!!!!
The verse that stuck out to me the most was v 48-49
“48Thus will I put an end to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not commit lewdness as you have done.49And they shall return your lewdness upon you, and you shall bear the penalty for your sinful idolatry, and you shall know that I am the Lord God.”
May we all remember not to put anything above God, as we remember God will do as He says!
Psalm 73:25-26 is our guide. There is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
“ But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.” Psalm73:28
I commit spiritual adultery when I do not put God first and try to handle things on my own. Verse 29 of Ezekiel 23 tells us the shame of our “prostitution” will be exposed to the world. That is not what I want others to see in my life. Praying today that people will see Christ in my words and actions, not my sinful nature.
Today’s scripture was very hard to read, thinking about the sin that was committed. I can easily fall into the sin of comparison and wanting something that I don’t have and I have to catch myself and be so thankful for all that the Lord has blessed me with. I love the cross reference from Psalm 73 and it also reminded me of Psalm 111, and how great the works of the Lord are. I pray that I would be a woman who is consumed with all of God and not this world because “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise ensures forever.”
As I read this I have to admit that I have chosen sin over God at times in my life. And I also see the sins of America that we as a nation have not only committed but also have exported around the world. I pray for repentance and revival in our churches and our country before it is too late.
Ralfs comment. Those who trust in themselves, in wealth and possessions are living in a Dream World which is only in their own mind. They will awaken someday and realize the reality of Gods Truth, hopefully before it’s to late to Repent and turn to God.
The wicked in Psalm 73 mock Yahweh saying in v11, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the most high?” ... but in Psalm 139:2-3, it says, “You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.”
I also mocked God for many years of my adult life when I doubted the revelation of God’s word in Scripture. I read a lot of books about the Bible without reading the Bible. I wanted to be one of the wise of this world, the scribe, or the debater of this age as described by Paul in 1 Cor 1:20. The Bible tells us that God chooses souls that are foolish according to worldly standards ... or the weak ... or the ones that are low or despised (1 Cor 1:26-28). My soul belonged with those described in 1 Cor 1:26-28. The Holy Spirit Illuminated the truth and light of God’s word to me when I actually read and studied what it said. Imagine that! The word of the cross became the power of God to save because God pursued me through his words. Now I cannot get enough! Thank you Compass HB for challenging us to study through the Old Covenant! #followtheprophecy
I must confess that as I read thru today's SOTD, I thought to myself, "surely I'm not nearly as terrible as either of the sisters written of". However, I was quickly convicted that there is the physical sin of adultery and the spiritual sin of adultery (not putting God first in everything)...and in light of Ps 73, at times, I too fall very short. I loved verse 25 of Ps 73, "Whom have I in heaven but you?" The second half of the verse, "And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you." By God's grace, I'm a work in progress.
I have definitely had times where I have thought like Asaph .. that what the world is doing looks better.... It’s always in times where I am not reading my Bible daily and really getting on to the secret place that those thoughts creep in. But, then I remember the eternal perspective. The world has nothing because they don’t have God. Everything the world loves for will soon pass away. With God... we have everything that we need. We have hope, we have grace, we have mercy, and we can trust That God is in control and that gives us peace.
Thank you Pastor Bobby for cross-reference Psalm 73. It’s so good! 👍
“When my soul was embittered,
when I was pricked in heart,
I was brutish and ignorant;
I was like a beast towards you.
Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will receive me to glory.” (Psalm 73:21-24)
Beast: there is no concept of eternity. They live their life for momentary pleasures, satisfying natural urges. When we forget about eternity, we are truly like an animal before God! Sometimes I have lived up to my emotions, there are so many temptations around and have prevented me from remembering God's words, because I have placed myself on Him! But praise God, for He will never forsake me. He has always reminded me and is with me! Because He wants to prove that my soul has been saved by precious blood of Christ. That I am definitely different from animals! And I can no longer live on myself or on others but on Him alone! He guide me with His counsel, and afterwards He will receive me to glory!!
My idol was having the perfect family. Jesus has shown me that he is the only perfect one and to rely on him alone.
The fall of Judah into sin:
To see:
V. 11, 14, 19
To consider desirable:
V. 12, 21
To lust after
V. 12, 16, 40
To send for
V. 16, 40
To act
V. 17, 13, 14
To bear the penalty:
V. 25, 30, 35, 49
The account of the chosen people Judah’s sin repulses me. But this is how God sees all sin against him. Though their sins are extensive and graphic against our God, their fall into sin has the same progression as ANYONE. In fact, it seems identical to the account of King David’s sin with Bathsheba (even this man after God’s own heart had the potential to sin when he lets his desires for something other than God to go unchecked).
2Sa 11:2-4
2 It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king's house, that he SAW from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very BEAUTIFUL. 3 And David sent and INQUIRED about the woman. And one said, "Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" 4 So David SENT messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house.
May I not be too proud to see I was also born a sinner, and that I have the potential to commit great sin against my holy God. May grace teach me to be more sensitive about the sin in my life so that I can through the spirit catch it while it is young. “Lead us not into temptation” I pray, and “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” These are two verses I want to pray through today to ask God to keep me from sin even at its earliest moments of birth in my heart. Temptation comes from within! Therefore God, please conform my heart to yours!
Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
Hebrews 3:12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.
Since this was my first time reading this chapter most of the verses made me go “oh no no no”, because of how disheartening they were. But the verses that caught my attention were the last two verses 48-49. What caught my attention is that it seems like a warning to everyone who can hear and listen, “Do NOT idolize, because you WILL then receive the wrath of God”. It was overall an intense chapter.
I was very recently putting greed before god. When this Wall Street deal started happening I was on my phone several times a day, reading all the forums and comments, lusting after the potential for quick money. But I wasn’t reading my word. I put my greed before god and when I realized I though:
“When was the last time I had this kind of zeal for my word and my god?”
It happens so quickly and easily in this day, the distractions come at us like electronic billboards in the night. I am so grateful for our lord and his grace. 🙏
I find myself not content with the career God has blessed me with. I do not wake up in the morning thinking how can I serve God to win souls. My concern is focused on making more money and how can I change jobs. Jealousy fills my heart when I hear of my friends and colleagues that are doing financially better than I am.
“For I was envious of the boastful, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” Ps. 73:3
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back, you yourself must bear the consequences of your lewdness and whoring." - Ezekiel 23:35
Sometimes it’s easy to forget about what God has done for us, but that is awfully wrong. He has sent his Son Jesus Christ to die for us and sometimes we just push it to the back of our minds in conversation because we don’t want to get made fun of.
32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,
33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. - Matthew 10:32-33
Edit: I have often desired to choose the sin laziness over God. Watching a movie instead of praying or sleeping instead of reading. But ultimately God is so much better than any movie or extra hour of sleep!!!
“And they shall return your lewdness upon you, and you shall bear the penalty for your sinful idolatry, and you shall know that I am the Lord God.””
Ezekiel 23:49
Praying that the Lord would reveal to me anything I am putting above Him. Confessing pride, anxiousness, and selfishness. Lord give me your eyes to see, that I may do your work, I want to be in obedience with the scriptures and Gods desire for my thoughts and actions.
“Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
Psalm 73:23-26
Grateful to our Lord and savior beyond words, I want to live in gratitude and obedience so God truly knows my heart is for Him above all else, it’s nothing I can do apart from Him.
We are never free from temptation or thinking something other than God will be more fulfilling. However as I age and am less enticed by what the world has to offer there is still the issues of my heart. My issue is that my heart and mind can wander from pure thoughts. What we think matters and what our heart wants matters to God. There is no substitute or anything more fulfilling than knowing God approves.
Wow praise God. I can confess today that I used to be enslaved to sexual immorality. I can say with an honest conscience today that I used to be stuck in this sin, unable to really say no to it...
"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--." (Ephesians 2:4-5)
I give glory to none other than JESUS CHRIST this morning, who brought me out of my spiritual adultery, my idolatry, and my immorality! I offered God **nothing**, and yet still he gave me everything! He withheld nothing from me, not even the life of his one and only son. Praise God for the freedom that comes from knowing Christ!
Ezekiel 23:38-39
[38] Moreover, this they have done to me: they have defiled my sanctuary on the same day and profaned my Sabbaths.[39] For when they had slaughtered their children in sacrifice to their idols, on the same day they came into my sanctuary to profane it. And behold, this is what they did in my house.
Psalms 73:16-17
[16] But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, [17] until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.
The adulterers use God's sanctuary for idol worship and their lustful desires. They defile it and profane God's sabbaths. Asaph enters God's sanctuary seeking wisdom and discernment as to why the wicked prosper. In the end they bear the penalty for their sinful idolatry and know the Yahweh is the LORD. Asaph finds encouragement, understanding, and strength and knows that Yahweh is the LORD.
Psalms 73:25-26
[25] Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. [26] My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Right at this moment in my life having to really face that I have lived over 40 years in an adulterous relationship with an illness instead of 100% putting ALL my trust with it in God’s hands. Allowing Him to handle all the side affects I live with. I have allowed the enemy to lie to me instead of really listening and paying attention to the one Who truly loves me for me. I have always felt that God had my full attention but I’m admitting right now that God wasn’t and hasn’t had All of me. I placed the illness between God and I. I now understand that if I see any of my grown children make their choices which are lies of the enemy and their accepting it .I have my own lies I have believed and need to confess to God and ask His forgiveness. Adultery becomes an idol in people’s lives. It breaks relationships, is painful and separates us from what God has had for us. Confessing and repentance leads to forgiveness that leads us to a New life and relationship with the one that has truly loved us in all our circumstances. He always was waiting.
@Leah Heather Barker thank you for this WORD!! I’m writing this down to keep as a reminder.😊
Psalm 73: 22-26 in verse 23 it says Yet I still belong to you!!! After everything we make of our lives the Truth prevails we always belonged to Him that fact never ended. He was always there.
I was the woman of Ezekiel 23. I lusted for human gratification and acceptance from the people of this world more than a relationship with God. The delight of my heart was not the Lord. I was my idol and my god, and I was caught in the sin of pride. I wanted the control and the glory. I thought I could satisfy my heart, but the Lord alone does that. The Lord is my portion and strength! He satisfies my heart!
Ezekiel 23:29 reminded me of 8:12 ... the nakedness of their whoring (idolatry) would be uncovered, as Babylon destroyed the city everyone would know what the elders of Jerusalem worshipped in the dark. God saw it all along! Yet his people said in Psalm 73:11, How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?
God sees my sin too, although it’s hidden from everyone else. And I am so grateful that he disciplines me as a child he loves. Today, Psalm 73:17 jumped out at me, “until I went to the sanctuary of God” because it wasn’t until the last couple of years that I took the secret place seriously. I didn’t understand the power and refreshment and wisdom and renewing available there, that were mine for the taking. During those two years, he brought hard trials that brought me to my knees and taught me how foolish and prideful I was to think that I could do anything on my own, John 15:4-5. Now I look forward to the secret place as the best part of my day, praise the Lord!
Psalm 73:23-28
Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strengthfn of my heart and my portion forever.
For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.
But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.
Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. - Psalm 73:23-26
Living in Orange County and seeing all the “wealth” around us it is very easy to want to live in that house or drive that car or take that vacation. When all I need is God and His word. I am blessed beyond measure that God saved me from my sin and the destruction that was to follow.