Simply The Messengers…

Christianity is an individual, personal journey. It involves individuals, who have made a commitment to follow Jesus, coming together collectively, forming what We call the Church, and the Bible calls His Bride. We cannot be saved through someone else’s faith or commitment. We cannot come to faith because of our parent’s commitment or non-commitment. It may help or hurt our decision making, but they are not the blame or the justification of our decisions. Once we make that personal decision to follow God, He provides us with all that we need. That might mean thick-skin, the ability to take criticism beyond what normal people can stand, or an enormous amount of patience and respectfulness. Or a combination of both. Regardless, there will always be people who will oppose the Gospel message, so we have to understand that we are simply the messengers of the Good News. When we are attacked and persecuted, it’s because of God not because of something we did. Ezekiel is a great example of this, as were all the prophets. God tells him that He made his (Ezekiel’s) forehead as hard as stone in order to keep on prophesying to the exiled Israelites. God provides us with our needs, even up to the last second of life. Trust Him and all your needs will be met. And if you don’t feel like you’re where you need to be in your walk, realize God knows exactly where you are and He might just use your perceived “hardness” to further His kingdom by dealing with hard-hearted, obstinate people in desperate need of hearing the “Good News”. The only thing we can use to cut diamonds is another diamond. Our walk with God is a personal one. Keep the faith.

7 But the people of Israel won’t listen to you any more than they listen to Me! For the whole lot of them are hard-hearted and stubborn. 8 But look, I have made you as obstinate and hard-hearted as they are. 9 I have made your forehead as hard as the hardest rock! So don’t be afraid of them or fear their angry looks, even though they are rebels.”10 Then He added, “Son of man, let all My words sink deep into your own heart first. Listen to them carefully for yourself. 11 Then go to your people in exile and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says!’ Do this whether they listen to you or not.” Ezekiel 3:7-11