Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord God, “rather than (is it not) that he should turn from his ways and live?
Ezekiel 18:23 NASB
The Creator of every human being alive, loves His creation. For God so loved the world. He put each of us here on earth for a purpose, to love our Creator, God, with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. We are a broken, messed up people in need of help. Help to turn from our wicked ways, yes, every one of us. God saw and knew our need so He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, the only One who could and did pay the price for our sin. Jesus paid it all and we can have that pardon from sin and death if we believe. BELIEVE that Jesus is the Son of God and came to earth, setting aside His glory for us, God’s creation, to pay our debt.
Once we are His He pardons our iniquity and passes over our rebellion when we repent and return to Him, a God like no other. He does not retain His anger forever because He delights in unchanging love.
So a God who would go to those lengths for His own creation, how could He possibly take pleasure in the death of anyone who dies? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live.”
John 3:16/Mark 12:30/Micah 7:18/Ezekiel 18:32/Galatians 5:22-23 NASB
🌹You want to truly live? Surrender your life to Jesus Christ and know what it really means to live. Experience love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control as the Holy Spirit guides your life. Let God transform you into who He has called you to be, His child. If you’re a believer but God is not forefront of your life, it’s time to repent and return to your Creator. He is waiting with loving open arms.
Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares the Lord God, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?’
Ezekiel 33:11 NASB
Continually Seeking Him,
Sharon
Tag Archive | wicked
As I Live Says God
Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares the Lord God, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?’
Ezekiel 33:11 NASB
The living God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. The compassionate God desires the best for you. What level of desire do you have for others around you to avoid death and know the best life?
🌹Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
John 14:6 NASB
In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
John 1:4 NASB
Continually Seeking Him,
Sharon
Salvation to Conversion
But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in time of trouble. The Lord helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, Because they take refuge in Him.
Psalms 37:39-40 NASB
🌹 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You.
Psalms 51:12-13 NASB
Continually Seeking Him,
Sharon
Affliction
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all. Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous will be condemned. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned. Psalms 34:19, 21-22 NASB
We, as Christians, are not exempt from affliction. That is something that I think we forget. Jesus did not promise us a perfect, carefree life when He became our Savior and Lord (King, ruler over us).
These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NASB
This life is our battleground. Fighting for salvation of family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and every person we encounter in this life. We are fighting to sustain a relationship with our God. This world is not our home but the battlefield on the way.
With each affliction, we need to ask ourselves, “What can I learn through this experience? What is God teaching me through this and how can I learn from it for my growth in the Lord and the benefit of others?”
🌹 And the ultimate question to ask ourselves is “Am I taking refuge in Him”?
I recommend reading Acts 27 noticing the difference between Paul, who knows the Lord Jesus, and others on the ship. Reactions to the situations by both parties.
Continually Seeking Him,
Sharon
Abundant Mercy
“Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters;
Isaiah 55:1a NASB
“Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen, that you may live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, According to the faithful mercies shown to David.
Isaiah 55:3 NASB
Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the Lord, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.
Isaiah 55:6-7 NASB
God of abundance. Abundant mercy to still be reaching down, calling our hearts back to Him. Abundant mercy He desires to pour out on His children.
Now is the time to seek the Lord, while He may be found. Today may be the day when time runs out for you. Don’t delay. Come experience God’s abundant love, grace and mercy.
🌹 Praise God for His abundant mercy. Who do you know that needs to hear?
You Are Responsible
When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. Yet if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself.
Ezekiel 3:18-19 NASB
Most up us know that God has sent us to share the gospel message to the unsaved, those walking in blindness and their wickedness. The message of salvation is our responsibility as the children of God. His disciples. His ambassadors. It is a responsibility God takes seriously. Do you?
But I’m not so sure that we take seriously the guidance of the family of God.
Again, when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I place an obstacle before him, he will die; since you have not warned him, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. However, if you have warned the righteous man that the righteous should not sin and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; and you have delivered yourself.”
Ezekiel 3:20-21 NASB
God created His church that we may encourage one another in the faith but to also draw a wayward soul back to repentance. We cannot stand silent while our brother or sister walk away from the Lord. Our hearts should break at the waywardness of another child of God. There are consequences for us if we do not counsel the wayward one.
The good news is that we do not have to do it alone.
But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you will say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.
Ezekiel 3:27 NASB
To accomplish God’s will you must be walking in a personal relationship with Him so that you can clearly hear His guidance.
(That means knowing His Word (the Bible), praying, being part of the community of God (fellowship).
🌹God gives us the courage, strength, words of counsel to speak truth to others, lost as well as the saved.
Continually Seeking Him,
Sharon
Continually Seeking Him 